Journey On Water
by SK witch
Summary: After the downfall of Voldemort, Hermione decides to take a break and return to the muggle world. Deciding to go on a muggle cruise, Hermione realizes that it was the biggest mistake of her life. Now, she's stuck on a boat with her worst enemy. Chapter 25
1. The Cruise

Hermione sighed and put her bags down. She looked at the huge ship before her and smiled. "Finally!" she whispered to herself. She picked up her bags and went on board.

"Name?" asked a man, stopping Hermione. He wore a navy suit with gold buttons and white pants. On his head was a white sailor's cap. Hermione smiled. She had never seen a sailor before, but in all the books she had read about seamen and sailors, she imagined they would have looked somewhat like the man in front of her.

"Hermione Granger." she said. The man scanned through a list he was holding and looked up. He nodded and let Hermione through.

Hermione went on deck and gasped. It was huge! The salty air, the seagulls flying above…it all seemed like a picture out of a book. She went over to a desk, with a woman sitting behind it and asked, "excuse me? Could you please tell me how I can find out my room number?" The lady smiled and replied, "Name please?"

"Hermione Granger."

"Granger…Granger…" she mumbled, looking through a list. "Ahh…here it is. Your room number is 5290. Here is your key, and I'll get someone to take you to your room.

"Thank you."

"Bob! Come here!"

A man came running forward. He was wearing the same type of clothes as the other man, except his clothes were all white with black buttons instead of gold. Hermione's mouth opened. _He's gorgeous! _

He had jet-black hair and hazel eyes that made her insides squirm.

"Bob, please take this lady up to her room. It's room number 5290."

Bob nodded to the lady and looked at Hermione. He smiled and took the bags from her. "If you would kindly follow me…I'll take you to your room." Hermione didn't say anything. She just nodded and followed behind him.

"I didn't catch your name back there." said Bob, looking over his shoulder.

"I didn't give it." Hermione blurted out before realizing what she had said. She groaned to herself_. I didn't give it! Oh honestly! Is that all I could say? _Bob however, found it amusing. He chuckled to himself and said, "Alright then. What's your name?"

"H-Hermione, Hermione Granger."

"Hermione, huh? That's a pretty name."

Hermione blushed furiously. She was glad he was walking in front of her. She didn't want him to see her blushing just because he found her name pretty.

"My name is Bob Reynolds. Nice to meet you." he said, stopping and putting the bags down. He gave her his hand and she shook it. Hermione's insides melted. His hand was nice and warm. She didn't want to let go but after a few seconds, she did.

"Nice meeting you too."

"Well this here is your room. Have a nice stay." He winked at Hermione and left her standing there, breathless. She slowly unlocked the door and went in. It was beautiful! There was huge, golden-brown four-poster bed, a television in front it, a beige colored sofa and wooden desk. There was a huge balcony where there was a table, two chairs and a hammock.

She spotted another door and went over to it. She opened it and sighed with delight. It was the most amazing bathroom she had ever been in! She closed the door and looked around her room. "My vacation has officially begun!" she said, and with that, she ran over to her bed and jumped on it. She lay on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. She finally got the vacation she wanted. She deserved it. A few months back, Harry had defeated Voldemort, but the whole journey before that was exhausting, terrifying and painful. After Voldemort's defeat, Hermione wanted to get out of the wizarding world for a while. She hadn't seen her parents for a very long time and felt like taking a break, so she left and went to her parents. She stayed with them for a few months and then decided to go on a cruise, something she had wanted to do since she was a child.

She got up from bed and changed into something more casual. She wanted to go and explore the ship. Hopefully, during her trip, she would make some new friends. She didn't have anybody to talk to. She had asked Harry and Ron of course, but Ron didn't understand what was so great about floating around in the water for a holiday and Harry, he decided to stay with Ron. She chuckled to herself and remembered Ron's face. _Floating in the water._

She got out of her room and walked around until she finally found the main deck. People were still checking in and on the other side of the deck, she could see Bob helping others with their bags. Her eyes roamed around until it rested on a familiar looking figure. He had blonde hair and his back was turned to her. He was talking to the lady who had told Hermione her room number. Curious, she went a bit closer until she could hear them speak.

"Name please." asked the lady.

"Draco, Draco Malfoy."

Hermione froze. _No, no, no! It can't be! _She looked at the guy's back. Same blonde hair, same figure, same voice…it had to be! She didn't want to find out. She slowly backed away when suddenly, someone called out her name. _Oh no._

"Hermione! Hermione wait!" It was Bob. He was running towards her, holding up one of her bags. "Hermione! I forgot to take one of your bags along! I went looking for you but you had already left your room!"

"Oh thanks, Bob!" _Why of all times, did you have to pick this moment to scream out my name! _She thought angrily.

"No problem." He smiled and walked off, leaving Hermione rooted to the spot with fear. She turned to look at the guy. His back was no longer facing her, instead his face was turned towards her. His icy, gray eyes boring into her warm, chestnut eyes. _Oh no._


	2. An Enemy

"Hermione! Hermione!" When Draco heard her name, he froze. _Granger? Was here she here? _He turned around and saw Hermione standing nervously.

"I forgot to take one of your bags along! I went looking for you but you had already left your room!" said a man, who looked around his age. He gave Hermione a bag he was holding.

"Thank you, Bob!"

"No problem!" He walked off, leaving Hermione standing there alone. She looked at him and he smirked at her.

"Well, well, well…if it isn't Granger," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What are you doing here Malfoy?" she spat.

"What am I doing here? Well that's none of your business is it?" he said calmly. He was happy to see her face turn red with fury.

"This is the muggle world Malfoy! What are you doing here?"

"Didn't I tell you to butt out? I don't have time to exchange a few words with you." He picked up his bag and turned to walk.

"You better not bother me throughout this trip Malfoy! I'm warning you!" she yelled out.

Draco stopped in his tracks and looked around at Hermione. "Who's bothering who here? I'm trying to get away but your not letting me." She gave him a glare a stormed to the otherside of the deck.

Draco walked on until he found his room. He was about to unlock his door when he heard a girl yell out.

"You!"

He looked up and saw Hermione. "Me," he said, wearily. "What now? Are you stalking me?"

"S-stalking y-you?" She looked at him in disbelief and then burst out laughing. "Dream on! My room is here," she said, pointing to her door. Draco leaned against his door.

"My room is here." he said, pointing to a door right next to her's.

"What!" She came running towards him and snatched the key out of his hand.

"Give that bac – "

"Room number 5291…" she mumbled to herself. "Oh no!" She groaned and thrust the key back to him. "This is a nightmare!"

"That's right. Now you go in there and wake up!" He opened his door and slammed the door on her face.

Hermione screamed into her pillow. "No! No! No! This can't be happening!" She sat up on her bed and shook her head. _No, I can't let Malfoy get to me. I'll make his life a living hell if he bothers me. But why is he here?_ Malfoy had come to their side during the war. He had helped Harry and the Order, but his old ways never changed. He was the same arrogant boy she knew back at Hogwarts. She turned on the television and started to flip the channels, but she couldn't concentrate. She groaned and turned the TV off. She rolled over onto her chest and screamed once more into the pillow. "I hate you Malfoy!"

After a few hours, Hermione had calmed herself down._ No point ruining my holiday because of that git. _It was late afternoon and the ship had finally set sail. She felt like going swimming, so she changed into her blue bikini and wore denim shorts and a white, spaghetti top over it. She got out of her room and paused in front of Malfoy's door. She made a face at it and mumbled, "Stupid jerk."

"Stupid jerk?"

Hermione spun around and came face to face with Bob. She jumped back in surprise. She would have tripped if Bob hadn't grabbed onto her shoulders.

"Woah! Sorry! Didn't mean to frighten you!" smiled Bob.

"Bob! Don't do that!" Hermione said, shakily.

"Sorry about that." He brought Hermione closer to him and asked, "who's the stupid jerk?" Hermione blushed.

"Oh noone! Hey, bob? Could you tell me where the swimming pool is?" He smiled and nodded. "Come on! I'll show you." he said, nodding towards the direction. She nodded and let him lead her towards the pool.

"Here we are," said Bob, motioning towards the pool area. "I'll see you around then."

She went to a chair, near the pool, and took off her clothes. She neatly laid them on the chair and was about to get into the water, when somebody took hold of her wrist.

"Why is it that everywhere I go, you're always there to ruin my mood?"

Hermione whipped around and saw Malfoy smirking. "What do you want Malfoy!" yelled Hermione, trying to free herslef from his grasp, but he didn't let go. He pulled her roughly towards him and whispered, "you're stalking me aren't you? Too bad mudblood, you're not my type. " Malfoy smirked and roughly let go of her wrist.

"You're a stupid, good for nothing jerk!" She turned around and went over to the pool. _I hate him! I hate him! Why does he have to come on a cruise of all places! _ She clenched her fist and breathed out in frustrarion.

"Hey Granger! Why aren't you in yet? Waiting for me?"

Hermione shook with rage. She didn't say anything to him. Malfoy ran and splashed into the water. "So immature!" said Hermione through gritted teeth and she slipped into the pool. Malfoy emmerged from the water, his hair dripping with water. He slicked his hair back and looked at a group of girls. They giggled and started whispering to each other excitedly. Hermione shook her head. _If only they knew what he was really like._

"Hermione!"

Hermione looked around and saw a girl swimming towards her. "Jessie?"


	3. Friends and Music Boxes

The girl had long, blonde hair and startling blue eyes. Her skin was slightly tanned and a few freckles were spread across her face. She was wearing a strapless, pink bikini. She was extremely pretty. Hermione gaped at her old friend, Jessie. Her face hadn't changed so much. Jessie and her had been friends since she was 7 years old. She was extremely rich. They hadn't met since Hermione had left for Hogwarts.

"Jessie!" Hermione leaned forward to give her a friendly hug but Jessie stopped her.

"Hermione! Not in public!" laughed Jessie. Hermione raised an eyebrow. "What will my new friends think?" she said, motioning to a group of girls and boys.

"Um…what will your friends think?" said Hermione uncertainly.

"Oh honestly, Herms! My friends over there are filthy rich! They are the most elite people in the society and so am I!" She looked at Hermione, shaking her head. "But you, Hermione…well, you don't really belong in that crowd! They're way out of your league!"

Hermione stared at her in surprise. She was shocked of how much her friend had changed over the years. "Jessie…I don't understand…"

"If they see me hanging around with you, my whole reputation will get ruined!" she said, nervously looking at her friends. Hermione started to get angry.

"If that's the problem, then why did you come and greet me in the first place?" hissed Hermione.

"Because silly! If we ever meet, you'll know where your place is! You would know better than to come up to me when I'm surrounded by my friends!" she said, getting annoyed. "Anyway, I'll see you around…see ya." She gave Hermione a wide smile and went over to her friends. Hermione stared at her, mouth agape.

"Shut your mouth, Granger. A fly will go in."

Hermione bit her lip and closed her eyes. "I am not in the mood for your insults, ferret. Go and get lost."

Draco rolled his eyes and looked down. At the bottom of the swimming pool, he saw a necklace. He dived inside, took the necklace and went back to the surface. He looked at the pendant that was attached to the necklace and saw "Jessie" carved onto it.

"Hmm…now what's this necklace doing here…Jessie?"

Hermione looked at Malfoy and saw him holding a silver necklace with a pendant. She sighed heavily and said, "That belongs to my friend, Jessie. Give it to me, I'll give it back." Malfoy threw the necklace at her.

"Yeah, whatever…" He turned around and started swimming laps. Hermione looked at the necklace and clutched it tightly. She looked at Jessie and frowned. _Fine, Jessie, even though I've started to dislike you, I'll give the necklace back to you because I know this stuff can be sentimental._ Hermione got out of the pool. She'd give it to her when she wouldn't be surrounded by her friends.

She went to her room, took a shower, changed her clothes and went to her balcony. The sun was setting now, and its light casted a red glow over the water. The warm breeze blew onto her face, taking her breath away. It felt so…good. She climbed onto the hammock and looked up at the fading sky. She looked at the balcony that stood beside hers. Malfoy's balcony. _"Hey Granger! Why aren't you in yet? Waiting for me?"_ She didn't know why, but a smile crept onto her face. With one last look at his balcony, she fell asleep.

Draco threw the towel that hung around his neck on the bed and ruffled his wet hair. He was exhausted after the swim and was in no mood to take a shower. He quickly took off his wet clothes and changed into a pair of comfortable shorts and a baggy T-shirt. He already started to enjoy this trip. Already, muggle girls were after him and he had Granger to annoy. He smiled to himself. Even the muggle girls were attracted to him. He flopped onto the bed and closed his eyes, thinking. Draco had never felt so…free. He could do whatever he felt like and nobody could tell him what he should or shouldn't do. His father was no longer there to command him as he had been killed during the war. He could be whatever he wanted to be. He was no longer his father's puppet. He never liked his father's doing but always obeyed him because of fear of what he might do.

Malfoy decided to go to the muggle world because he needed to get away from all he had been through. If he had stayed back in the wizarding world, he knew that he wouldn't be able to relax.

Draco shook his head and opened his eyes. He looked at the weird box with a screen and mumbled, "Muggle contraption. What in Merlin's beard is it?" He got up and went nearer to the strange screen. He saw a button along the bottom and pressed it. Before he knew what happened, loud music errupted from the screen, making Draco yelp in shock. He quickly covered his ears and looked at the screen which now showed a man playing a guitar and screaming at the top of his lungs. Draco quickly pressed the button again and the noise disappeared.

He sighed in relief. "What kind of a music box is that!" Draco said, trying to get over the shock. He stood up and went to the balcony, trying to get away from the strange box as if it would errupt in any second.

He inhaled the salty air and felt the wind blowing against his face. The sun was gone but there was a tinge of light far across the horizon. He listened to the crashing of the waves against the boat and the sound of distant voices coming from his neighbouring rooms. _Neighbouring rooms._ He remembered Hermione's room being right next to his. He looked over at her balcony and was surprised to find her sleeping outside on the hammock. A smile crept onto his face. It was going to be heaps of fun troubling Granger and the best part was, he was staying right next to her. He looked at her and saw how the wind blew against her hair and how…peaceful she looked. Draco shook his head and tore his eyes away from her. What had he just been doing? Staring at Granger?

He rubbed his eyes, trying to erase what he had just seen. He went into his room and flopped onto his bed. He closed his eyes and before he knew it, he fell asleep.


	4. The Invitation

Hermione flickered her eyes open when the first few rays of light hit her face. She groaned and rubbed her eyes. She had fallen asleep on the hammock; bad idea. Now her whole body ached. She slowly lifted herself from the hammock and suddenly, something hard crashed onto her back. She gasped in pain and quickly looked around to see an owl on the floor.

"Pigwidgeon!"

She ran over to the small creature and carried it inside her room. Pigwidgeon, recovering from its collision, zoomed around her room, hooting and screeching. 

"Pig! Get down here!" she yelled, covering her ears. "Come down right now!"

Pigwidgeon gave one last screech and landed on her bed. Hermione went over to it and untied the string to take the letter. Pigwidgeon pecked her hand and hooted softly. 

"Alright, alright. I'll give you something to eat." Hermione cut up some apples, that were placed beside her bed, and placed them in a bowl for him to have. Pigwidgeon immediately flew over to it and started swallowing it down. Smiling, Hermione unfolded the letter and started reading.

_Herms!_

How are you? Are you on the ship already? Ron and I are both writing this by the way…didn't want to send two different letters! So, tell us everything! Are you enjoying yourself? We definitely are! Obviously, we haven't looked for jobs yet…We want to have some free time of our own, so we lounge around all day. We play loads of Quidditch and since I'm staying with Ron, we also have to help Mrs Weasley around the house. Now, aren't we helpful? Anyway, we want you to reply real quick. We have to know how your holiday is getting along! 

Love,  
Harry and Ron

Hermione grinned and folded up the letter. How she loved those two. They both were truly like her brothers. She could never be bored around those two and she always felt protected. She quickly got out a quill and paper and started writing.

_Harry, Ron!_

It's brilliant to hear from you guys! I'm missing you both so much! Actually, I'm having a wonderful time! You both should have come along with me, it really would have been an experience for both of you!  
I'm happy to know that you guys have finally got the sense to help around the house and I hope you haven't given her a hard time! Honestly, the whole house must be in chaos with the entire family there. But, I'm sure you're all having a ball! There's one downer in my holiday. Malfoy is here too. Yes, Malfoy! I couldn't believe it! I just hope he doesn't ruin everything. Anyway, that's it for now. Hope you both behave yourselves.

Love,  
Herms

She re-read the letter, folded it and tied it on Pigwidgeon's leg. "Fly safely," she whispered. Pigwidgeon hooted and flew into the morning sky.

Hermione spent the rest of the morning unpacking her bags and arranging all her clothes neatly into a cupboard. She was folding her last pair of jeans when all of a sudden, music errupted from the next room. What the bloody hell is wrong with him! She tried to ignore the noise, but after a couple of seconds, she couldn't take it.

"Malfoy!" she yelled, banging on his door. "Malfoy! Shut the damn music!"

Malfoy opened the door, his hands covering his ears.

"The music is too loud! Put it off!" she yelled.

"What? What the hell are you saying?" 

Hermione shoved malfoy aside and stormed into the room. She picked up the remote control, which was lying on the floor, and shut the music off. "Malfoy! What the hell do you think you're doing! Do you know how loud that music was? You're such a - "

"You talk way too much for your own good, Granger. Could it be possible that I turned it on by mistake? Or maybe, I don't know how to operate this bloody muggle contraption!" said Malfoy angrily, his face flushed.

Hermione whispered a small, "oh!" and blushed. "I'm sorry…I didn't know…"

A little taken aback by her apology, Malfoy just said, "It's alright." 

Hermione, relieved that Malfoy accepted her apology, nodded her head awkwardly. Without saying another word, she slowly walked to the door, looked at Malfoy, and closed the door behind her.

Malfoy stood where he was once she had left. He was a little shocked to hear an apology…Especially from Granger. He had never said 'sorry' in his life and no one had ever apologized to him and actually meant it.

He was brought back to reality when he heard a knock on the door. He opened the door to find a man holding a letter.

"May I help you?" asked Draco, curiously.

"Good morning, sir! I have a letter for you. It's an invitation to a party, which is held this evening, for our guests on this cruise. It is optional, of course. This party is held for welcoming all the guests."

Malfoy took the letter and said, "Thank you." The man nodded curtly and went over to the other rooms to hand out the invitations. He went back inside, sat on his bed and started reading the invitation.

Hermione eagerly opened the invitation the man had given her, and started reading.

_Dear guest,_

We are glad to welcome you on board this ship. We are hosting a small gathering on the main deck this evening as to welcome all our guests. This event will start at 21:00. This is a great opportunity to get to know other people and celebrate this evening with us. There will be a live band, refreshments, dinner and desert and fireworks to end the evening. 

We hope to see you there today.  
Yours sincerely,  
Captain and the Cabin Crew.

Hermione squealed in delight. This was her chance to make new friends and socialize with other people! She threw open the cupboard, where all her clothes were neatly folded, and smiled. Thank heavens she had brought along her favourite dresses and some formal clothes.


	5. Gorgeous

Hermione spent the rest of the afternoon looking for Jessie. She wanted to give the necklace back as soon as she could. But when she had finally found her, she saw that she was surrounded by her 'rich' friends. Hermione sighed loudly and gave up. She would have to give it to her another time.

It was now quarter past six and Hermione decided to take a long bath before getting ready for the event. She went to her bathroom, turned on the hot water tap and poured some bubble liquid so that the whole tub was filled with large, pink bubbles. Next, she lit the candles that were placed in the bathroom, closed the lights and put on some soft music. Ah! How inviting the water looked! She immediately removed her clothes and slowly slipped into the hot water.

She soaked in the tub for an hour and a half, listening to the soft music and inhaling the mild aroma that the bubbles gave off. When all the bubbles had gone, she decided it was time to get out, so she took a shower and came out, wrapping a towel around her. She went to her bed, where her dress was laid out, and started to get ready.

She dried and made her hair, put a little make up and perfume, put on her shoes, straightened her dress and looked in the mirror. She wore a light blue dress that came up to her knees. The straps were tied around her neck so that half her back was exposed. Her hair was beautifully curled into loops of ringlets which fell to her shoulders and on her feet were a pair of criss-crossed black sandals. Hermione smiled to herself. She looked and felt pretty.

Deciding to take a shawl, just in case it got cold, Hermione draped it over her shoulders and left her room. It was already half past nine and the main deck was already crowded with people. The deck was beautifully set up. Lights were hung around, tables and chairs were spread out everywhere, a small stage was set up for the band and there was an empty space for people to dance. 

Everyone was talking, laughing and clinking glasses with one another. Hermione, not knowing anyone, stood alone nervously, looking at the people coming to join the event. Suddenly, she spotted Jessie who was sitting on a chair, drumming her fingers on the table. She was sitting….alone! This was her chance to give her necklace back! She quickly made her way around the crowd until she was right behind Jessie. Hermione gently tapped her shoulder and Jessie turned around. 

"Hermione! What are you doing here? Quickly now, go! My friends will be here any minute!"

Hermione felt like slapping Jessie but she kept her cool. "Can't you just shut up about your friends for a minute? I have something of yours," she growled. She opened her purse and rummaged around, looking for the necklace.

"Look, I couldn't care less of what you have of mine! Just go!" Jessie said, getting agitated.

Hermione didn't listen and took out the necklace with the heart shaped pendant. "Are you sure you don't want this back?" she said, swinging the necklace in front of Jessie's face. Jessie gasped and felt around her neck, realizing that it wasn't there anymore. She looked at the necklace swinging in front of her face and snatched it from Hermione's hand.

"Alright fine, I've got it back. Now move it! My friends will be back -" But she was stopped midway when a male voice interrupted her.

"Jessie, we're back. Who's your new friend?"

Hermione looked up and saw a group of people standing around the table. There were three girls and four boys, who all looked around eighteen or nineteen years old. All of them stared at Hermione.

"Earth to Jessie? Can't you hear me? Who is she?" said a one of the boys, nodding his head towards Hermione.

"You could have just asked me," said Hermione, irritated. "I can understand English perfectly well. I'm not some kind of animal, you know."

The boy looked at her and smiled. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to act rudely! My name is Roger."

"Hermione," she said, quickly. "Anyway, I'll see you around." She smiled at Jessie and turned around to walk away.

"Hey, wait a minute!" said Roger. Hermione stopped and turned to look at him.

"Why don't you come and join us? I mean, we can see that you're Jessie's friend and any friend of Jessie's is a friend of ours! And anyway, this evening is meant to be for socializing!" he said enthusiastically.

Jessie clearly didn't like the idea and quickly said, "Oh no, no, no! Hermione is much too preoccupied at the moment, she told me so herself! What is it that you wanted to do again, Hermione?" Jessie gave her a warning glare and waited for Hermione to make up something important.

Hermione sighed and replied, "I have to…umm…go and speak with the captain!"

Roger's eyebrows shot up and he looked at Hermione curiously. "And what in the world would you want to ask the captain?"

"I think she's just making up an excuse to get away from us," said one of the girls. The second girl nodded her head in agreement while the third just kept quiet. 

"Nonsense, Laura! I'm sure she has her reasons," said Roger, waving his hand. He looked at Hermione and said, "You don't have to tell me what you want to ask the captain, it's your business and not mine and I apologize for asking. But can't you ask him later? I'm sure your question can wait and it would be great to get to know one another! When will we ever have the opportunity in doing that?" The other three boys nodded their heads eagerly. 

"Come on! Join us!" said Roger.

Hermione couldn't help smiling at the boys who wanted to become friends. When would she ever get the chance? She looked at Jessie, who looked absolutely shocked that her friends wanted to get know her and when one of the boys pulled up a chair for Hermione, Jessie looked at Laura and sighed in defeat.

Hermione sat next to Roger, and he introduced her to all his friends. "This is Tom, Jake and Alex," he said, motioning towards the boys, "and Laura, Terry and Violet." 

Time passed and Hermione got to know them more. Jessie, Laura and Terry didn't join in their discussions; they felt that Hermione was ruining their chances with the boys. Violet was different. She highly enjoyed Hermione's company and talked with her incessantly. 

"Oh my god!" yelled Laura suddenly, her face full of delight.

"What? What?" said Jessie, clutching her friend's shoulder and looking at her curiously.

"There! In front of you! Can you see him? That's the guy I met at the pool yesterday!"

Jessie stood up and looked where Laura was pointing to. When she spotted him, her jaw fell open and she gasped in delight. "Oh my god, Laura! He's gorgeous!"

Curious, Hermione looked for the guy they were talking about, and when she saw him, her jaw fell open too, though not with delight; mostly out of shock. The boy that they were pointing to was none other than Draco Malfoy. He was wearing a white shirt which was unbuttoned till his chest, a pair of black jeans with a black belt around it and pair of heavy, black shoes. His shirt was loosely tucked into his jeans, which were slightly below his hips, and his sleeves were rolled up till his elbows. His fringe was lightly covering his eyes, giving him a more boyish look. Hermione had to admit that he looked like a Muggle in those clothes and looked somewhat decent; however, the girls that had just seen him enter the main deck thought him more than decent, he was absolutely gorgeous.


	6. Mudbloods and Purebloods

Jessie looked at Hermione and saw her looking at Malfoy.

"Don't even think about it, Hermione," chuckled Jessie. "You don't have a chance with him. Don't you have a boyfriend?"

Hermione blushed furiously. Did she have to say that in front of all her friends? Not wanting to argue, Hermione got up and said, "Look, I…um…I have to go. I'll see you guys." She didn't want Malfoy to spot her with them. She knew Laura would go and make him join their table and she didn't want to sit on the same table as him.

"Hold on. Why are you in such a hurry?" said Jessie, folding her arms across her chest.

"It's none of your business," Hermione replied calmly. Jessie smirked.

"Oh come now, didn't you enjoy their company?" Jessie motioned towards Roger, Violet and the guys.

Hermione looked at them and said, "You know I enjoyed your company but I really must go." Violet smiled and nodded.

"Hermione! Don't worry! We understand," Roger said. "Don't listen to Jessie, she likes joking around." But apparently, Jessie wasn't finished with Hermione yet.

"Is it because you don't have a date? I can fix you up with someone if you like."

Hermione's insides boiled with anger and she would have slapped her across her face if it weren't for the people standing around her. She didn't want to make a scene. She looked at Jessie, giving her a glare which could have frightened Voldemort himself. Hermione had had enough. She started gathering her belongings to leave when a hand took hold of her shoulder.

Draco lazily looked around and took in his surrounding. _Well…it does look…festive, I guess._ His eyes wandered until suddenly, he spotted Hermione. He took a sharp intake of breath when he saw how different she looked; her brown curls bounced as she talked animatedly and her simple dress was really pretty. Draco shook his head. That was the second time he had been staring at Granger. _What's wrong with me! The muggle-born bookworm is clearly trying to draw some attention to herself. This won't work with me._ She was with a group of people, one of whom he had met at the pool the other day. He saw that her face was flushed and looked like she was in an argument with one of the girls. Curious, he edged his way closer to the table, although not too close. He didn't want to be seen…yet. He made his way until he could hear what they were talking about.

"Hold on. Why are you in such a hurry?" said the girl.

"It's none of your business," Hermione replied.

"Oh come now, didn't you enjoy their company?"

"You know I enjoyed your company but I really must go." Malfoy saw her saying to a group of people next to her.

"Hermione! Don't worry! We understand," said one of he boys. "Don't listen to Jessie, she likes joking around."

"Is it because you don't have a date? I can fix you up with someone if you like."

Malfoy looked at Hermione, waiting to see her reactions. That was exactly what Malfoy would have done back in Hogwarts; try to embarrass Granger as much as he could. But he was a changed man after the war, and seeing her in an embarrassing moment didn't bring as much joy to him anymore. In fact, he could almost feel her anger…her humiliation.

He saw her start to gather her things when an idea came into his head. Something that would either shock or annoy Granger but would also make her feel less embarrassed. At least, he thought it would. He couldn't believe he was going to do it. It was not in his nature at all, especially since it was going to be Granger who he was going to help. But imagining her face when he would do it was too good to let it go. Oh, this is going to be loads of fun. Malfoy went over to Hermione and took hold of her shoulder. Hermione whipped around and gasped in surprise.

"Sit down. I'm here now," he said, making her sit back down on her chair by pressing on her shoulder. Hermione, still in shock, sat down, staring at him in alarm. He sat next to her and looked around at the table.

"Are they your friends? Why don't you introduce me?" he said, looking back at Hermione. He couldn't help but smirk. Her face was priceless. She was looking at him with an expression of confusion, and she didn't reply until Malfoy stamped on her feet to get her to say something.

Pain shot up her leg and she bit her lip to stop herself from screaming at Malfoy. But the gesture had worked; she tore her eyes away from him and looked at her new set of friends. She didn't know what to say. Never in her lifetime had she expected such a surprise.

"Well…this…umm…this…this is…" she muttered, totally at a loss for words.

"Hermione, do you know him?" said Jessie, hate and astonishment radiating from her words. Laura and Terry's mouth were agape and they looked at Hermione with pure loathing.

"Of course she knows me. My name is Draco Malfoy," he said. Without thinking, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and roughly pulled her towards his side. Hermione squeaked as she was pulled next to him, his hands resting on the upper part of her arm. _What in Merlin's beard is he doing!_ But she kept her mouth shut; obviously he had something in his mind. Jessie's eyes widened in horror and she looked at Hermione as if it was her fault that she knew Draco.

Hermione had to know why he was doing this; what his reasons were for suddenly acting this way. The Draco Malfoy she knew would never sit next to her or wrap his arms around her for that matter. When Jessie looked away from them to share her opinions with her friends, Hermione, trying not to move her lips as much as possible, whispered, "Malfoy…what are you doing?"

"Doing?"

"Yes! Why you're doing this?"

"I'm saving you from humiliation, that's what I'm doing," he chuckled. Annoyed, Hermione tried to move away, but Draco was much more powerful and he tightened his grip on her arm. "Oh just calm down, Granger. Didn't you see that girl's smile wipe off her face as I came near you? This is a good thing for you," he said, reasoning with her. "And tons of fun for me," he added as an after thought. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"And why, is it fun for you?"

"First of all I wanted to see your reactions and second, I know you hate it when I'm anywhere around you and everything you hate, I like."

"You like being around me?"

"Oh don't even go there, Granger. Only in your dreams will I ever like you. I meant because you hate being next to me, I'll purposely come to annoy you. Get my drift?" he said, trying to cover his real thoughts.

"Oh, so to annoy me as much as possible, you'll go to the extent of wrapping an arm over my shoulders? You would have never done that back in school. You had other ways."

Malfoy chuckled. "What? Calling you a Mudblood and insulting your friends? I'm not a kid anymore."

Hermione stayed silent for a while. She still couldn't understand the sudden change in his behaviour and his reasons were not satisfying enough. She hated Malfoy being anywhere next to her and wanted to shove him away, but she was dying to get back at Jessie at the same time.

_Typical Granger. She always has to analyze the situation._ He wasn't quite sure what made him do it now. Did he really do it just because he wanted to see her face turn into confusion… anger? To infuriate her? Or did he do it because he felt some sympathy for her? And why in the world did my bloody arm go around her shoulders! He wasn't sure anymore but it was too late to back out.

"So, it's Draco is it? My name is Roger," said Roger, holding out his hand. Draco unwrapped his arm over Hermione's shoulders and shook his hand. It was about time to meet new people. He didn't want to talk to himself throughout the trip and this lot seemed like an interesting one, especially since most of the girls looked like they could murder Hermione in a minute.

Time flew by and Draco got to know the guys more. Jessie was continuously trying to get his attention and he tried to ignore her as much as possible without acting too rude. Jessie reminded him a lot of Pansy Parkinson, whom he started to dislike after his fifth year. They both had the same personality, which he hated.

Hermione and Violet got along extremely well. Hermione talked with her the whole time and she was glad that Malfoy hadn't done anything else. This was unusual of him to do so, as was him sitting next to her. Dinner was quickly finished and Hermione danced twice with Roger and Alex. Jessie had asked Draco three times but he always made up an excuse. He enjoyed talking with the guys and he soon enjoyed Violet's company too, she was like one of the guys. Thankfully, no one had noticed the peculiarity of Hermione and Draco not dancing together but since Draco didn't dance with anybody else, one could assume that he just disliked this activity. After a fantastic display of fireworks, both Hermione and Draco bid goodnight to the others.

Jessie came up to him and said, "Goodnight, Draco. I'll see you around then?"

A little taken back with her forwardness, he replied, "Yeah…sure." Jessie smiled. She looked at Hermione and glared at her. With one last look at Draco, she took off with Laura.

Hermione and Draco made their way back to their rooms, not even talking once to each other along the way. When they were both outside their rooms doors, Hermione paused and said, "Thank you…um…for backing me up."

For the second time in a day, Draco was taken aback by Hermione's words. No one had ever thanked him with actually meaning it. Not ever. He didn't even know how to say those words. 'Sorry' and 'Thank you' were meaningless to him. But hearing them from a person who meant it whole heartedly confused him a bit.

Quickly recovering from his moment of silence, he said, "Don't expect more from me. Today was a 'once in a life time' thing."

"Why did you do it though? What you said back there wasn't enough."

"None of your business."

"I was caught in the middle of it! I think this is my business too! You suddenly come along and do THAT and think that I wouldn't want to know what made you do it?"

"I don't know, Granger! I didn't have time to think things through that much; I had to act quickly."

"You do realize that what you did was highly unlike the Malfoy I know, don't you?"

"Why? Because I'm a Malfoy? Because I hate Mudbloods?"

"Yes!"

"God, Granger. You're still living in the past aren't you? If you haven't noticed, I haven't called you a Mudblood this whole time. I don't care anymore about Purebloods and Mudbloods. I'm not the kid back in Hogwarts and I don't have to prove myself to you." Draco unlocked his room and slammed it shut.

Hermione stood still for a moment, taking in all what he had said. After a while, she slowly unlocked her room and went inside.


	7. Room Service Please!

Hermione sat in one of the ship's restaurants, having her breakfast. The newspaper was propped against her glass of juice and she silently read while stuffing her mouth with food. Halfway through reading the newspaper, she folded it. She couldn't concentrate; her mind was somewhere else. She gulped down the rest of her juice and sighed. Last night's events constantly ran through her mind; she couldn't think about anything else but that. _It's all Malfoy's fault! If he hadn't decided to act unlike himself, this wouldn't be happening!_ What did he mean by saying that he wasn't a kid anymore? And was it really true that he didn't care whether she was a Mudblood or a pure-blood anymore?

"Hey, Hermione!" 

Shaken from her thoughts, Hermione turned around and saw Violet. "Hi, Violet. Good morning."

"Good morning. Can I join you or are you busy?"

"No, no, no! Come, sit down," said Hermione, gesturing at the chair next to her. Violet smiled and sat down.

"So, did you sleep late last night? Did you enjoy yesterday's event?"

Hermione folded her arms on the table and said, "Of course I did. I'm glad I got to socialize; I didn't want to be all alone during the whole trip!" 

"But, you're not alone. Draco is with you."

"Oh…" Hermione mentally kicked herself. Because of Malfoy's 'helpful' tactics to save her from humiliation, everyone thought that they both were a 'couple'. _Why, Malfoy? Why is that even when you help me, you still put me in a tight situation?_ Hermione, quickly trying to cover up her mistake, said, "Yes, of course…I meant that I wanted to make new friends…you know…"

Violet smirked and put a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "It's alright, Hermione. I think I have an idea of what's going on between you two." Hermione looked at her doubtfully.

"You do?" 

Violet leaned back on her chair and smiled mischievously. "You both aren't really going out, right?" Hermione propped her elbow on the table and rested her head on her hand.

"And why do you say that?"

Violet laughed and said, "Oh, come on, Hermione. It was pretty obvious by the look on your face when he arrived; your face clearly showed you were surprised. And you didn't seem comfortable when he put an arm over your shoulder."

A smile crept onto Hermione's face. "Oh, alright!" she chuckled, "I'm not going out with him. But was it really obvious? I mean, how come Jessie and the other didn't notice?"

"They were too shocked that you both knew each other that I guess they missed that part. But if you both aren't really going out, how come Draco decided to do that?"

Hermione felt it weird to hear Malfoy's name being mentioned in such a friendly manner and wondered why he suddenly decided to become friendly with Muggles. His actions were confusing her by the minute. "Well, I don't know. Actually, Malfoy and I haven't been in good terms with each other for years."

"Malfoy? You call Draco by his last name?" 

Hermione nodded slightly and paused before replying, "I never called him by his first name or even talk to him for that matter. If I ever did, it was only because he would insult me; otherwise I completely ignore him."

Violet opened her mouth in revelation. "You're kidding! So, you guys are like enemies?" Hermione nodded. Violet looked at her for a moment and then burst out laughing.

Hermione looked at her in confusion and said, "What's so funny?"

Violet's face had turned red from laughing and replied, "You both are enemies and you both are stuck on the same boat for the whole trip!"

Hermione smiled. _Two enemies stuck together; who could have thought?_ She guessed it was pretty funny from Violet's point of view and started to find the situation she was in pretty amusing too. "You want to hear something even funnier?"

"What?"

"His room is right next to mine," she said in a rather irritated voice, but a smile was still plastered across her face. Violet roared with laughter. People in the restaurant started to look at their table curiously but Violet and Hermione paid no attention to it. Looking at Violet laugh, Hermione started to giggle herself.

When Violet had calmed down she said, "I feel sorry for you."

"Don't be. I've had to cope up with him for a very long time in school so I can deal with him."

Violet chuckled slightly and nodded her head. "But if he doesn't like you, then why did he act like that yesterday?"

Hermione told her the whole story. Jessie's behaviour towards her, what Draco's reasons were for helping her out and what had happened before he went into his room. Of course, she had left out everything related to the wizarding world. Violet listened as Hermione talked; she didn't know why she was telling all of this to Violet, as if they had been best friends, but she did anyway.

After an hour or so, Violet said, "I have to go now, I still haven't unpacked all my clothes yet and I want to finish that chore today." Hermione smiled as she remembered Harry and Ron. If they were here with her, they probably wouldn't even have started to unpack. Before Violet got up from the table, Hermione asked, "Violet…can I ask you a favour?"

"Sure."

"Well…I'd really appreciate it if you didn't tell Jessie about me and Draco." 

Violet smiled and laid a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "I'm not that kind of person who would talk behind a friend's back. You can trust me."

Hermione grinned and said, "Thanks."

"I'll see you around. Oh wait! How will I? I don't even know how to contact you."

"Oh! Well my room number is 5290, so come by anytime."

"Mine's 2424. Alright then, bye!" She smiled and walked off. Hermione decided to go back to her room too, so she got up and left the restaurant.

Draco got up from bed and stretched. Stifling a yawn, he walked over to his bathroom to freshen up. He had slept immensely well and thoughts of yesterday were wiped from his mind. He looked at the clock in his bathroom and yelped in surprise. It was already quarter to twelve! The restaurants would stop serving breakfast soon and he would have none unless he hurried up. He quickly threw on some clothes and hurriedly left his room. He was running around a corner when he crashed hard into someone. He yelped as he fell over, landing right on top of the person. The body beneath him groaned in pain and he looked down in surprise to find Granger.

"Fancy seeing you, Granger," said Malfoy, smirking. He was supporting himself on his hands so that he wasn't squashing the life out of her. Hermione's eyes widened in horror as she saw Malfoy above her.

"Get off me!"

"Hey! It's not like I like this situation either!"

"Then why in the world are you still on top of me!" she yelled, trying to push him away. Malfoy quickly got up and looked at Hermione who was now sitting on the floor, massaging her head.

"Why, can't you watch where you're going!" she yelled.

"I didn't do it on purpose! It's not my fault you were in my way!" Hermione stared at him in disbelief. She didn't know what to say to something like that. What kind of a person would say that as an excuse! "Forget it! You're absolutely hopeless!" she yelled.

Hermione slowly got up and faced him. "Why are you running in the first place?" she snapped, glaring at him.

"Because I want to get some breakfast and you're wasting my time!"

Hermione laughed. "Too bad. They've already stopped serving breakfast."

Draco groaned in frustration and said, "Brilliant, that's just great!"

"Try the room service; they might still serve this late." With that, she walked off; leaving Draco in total confusion. How in the world would he get room service?

"Granger!"

Hermione whipped around, her face red with anger. "What, Malfoy? What could you possibly want now?"

"I don't know how the bloody hell to get room service and I'm bloody starving!" he snapped. 

Hermione gave him an I-don't-care look and replied, "That's your problem! You should have woken up early; and don't you dare take out your anger on me." She turned around to walk off again when Malfoy grabbed her wrist.

"Look, just…hel- I mean, tell me how to do it." Hermione felt a jolt of energy tingle throughout her body as his warm hand held onto her wrist. She quickly wrenched her arm away from his grip and looked at him. _Was he asking her for help?_ All of a sudden, her face broke into a smile.

Draco looked at her curiously and said, "What?" 

"Are you asking for my help?" she said, a mischievous grin playing on her lips.

Draco's face reddened and he quickly replied, "No." Hermione's smile was wiped from her face.

"Fine then, figure it out yourself." Draco rolled his eyes. Did she have to be so infuriating? Draco was having an inner battle. Should he ask her for help or find out a different way? 

Finally he said, "Oh alright, alright!"

Hermione looked at Malfoy, her hands resting on her hips and said, "Alright what?"

"I need your help," he mumbled. A smirk tugged on her lips and she said, "I didn't hear you."

"Oh, for the love of Merlin, Granger! Are you deaf? I said I need your help! I can't use any of that stupid muggle stuff!"

Hermione smiled smugly and chuckled, "Alright, let's go. I'll show you."

Hermione dialled the room service number and ordered some breakfast while Draco sat on his bed, looking curiously at how she used the weird instrument. After she had finished talking, she looked at Draco and said, "Your breakfast will be here soon. Are you satisfied now?"

Draco ignored her and asked, "What's that thing you used to order food?"

Hermione looked at what he was pointing to and stifled a laugh. "It's called a telephone." Draco continued to look at it curiously and Hermione couldn't help but smile. "I can teach you how to use it one day if you'd like." Draco nodded absent mindedly; his expression unreadable.

"Erm…okay, I'll guess I'll go now," Hermione said, slowly heading towards the door. He didn't say anything.

When she was about to shut the door behind her, Draco yelled, "Wait!" Hermione looked at him, her hand clutching onto the door handle.

"I…erm…" Draco looked at Hermione, his words not coming out. Why was it so hard to say 'Thank you'? "I…" _God damn it Draco just say it!_

"What?" said Hermione, looking at Draco curiously.

He sighed out loudly and said, "Forget it." He lay down on his bed; staring up at the white washed ceiling. Why couldn't he just say it?

Hermione looked at him peculiarly and shut the door behind her. Malfoy was really starting to act weird.


	8. Breathless

Draco continued to stare at the ceiling even after Hermione left his room. What the hell was wrong with him? Why all of a sudden did he want to thank Granger just because she merely helped with the 'telephone'? And why in Merlin's name couldn't he say 'Thank you'! 

Draco pulled his hair in frustration. Why was it so hard to change himself? _You wanted to thank Granger because she helped you!_ said a little voice in his head. _Maybe you should act a bit friendlier towards her._

"No, no, no…" he muttered to himself. "I won't." _Your father is not around anymore, so you could lower your guard a bit. You can try and act a little nicer towards her; like last night._ Last night… What had come over him? Draco rubbed his face with his hands. Enough thinking. He would go mad with confusion if he didn't stop.  
He heard a knock on the door and someone yelled out, "Room Service!" Draco looked at the telephone and smiled before opening the door to get his breakfast.

The rest of the day past uneventfully for Hermione. She read a book, watched some TV and explored the rest of the ship with Bob's assistance. They both became good friends and she learnt a lot more about him.

"By the way, tomorrow there's going to be scuba diving," said Bob, as they were leaving the arcade hall. 

"There is?" she said, stopping in her tracks.

"Yeah. The ship is going to anchor at noon so that the guests can scuba dive around a certain area. Of course, there's going to be practice sessions in the main swimming pool so you can get the hang of it." 

Hermione squealed in delight. She had always wanted to try scuba diving. She had gone snorkelling before, but you couldn't go too deep.

"But how are the other guests going to know that there's scuba diving tomorrow?" she said.

"There's a notice on the main deck and on every corridor, it's just being put up." Hermione nodded in excitement. She couldn't wait!

Later, Hermione quickly said bye to Bob and went to look for Violet's room. She wandered around and she finally found it; she knocked on the door and waited.

"Who is it?"

"Violet it's me, Hermione!"

Silence followed and after a few seconds she could hear hands fumbling with the locks. The door swung open to reveal Jessie, who was casually leaning against the door frame with her arms over her chest; her fingers lightly tapping against her arm. "Well, well, well. What have we here? Did dear Hermione lose her way?" said Jessie, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"What are you doing here!" said Hermione, surprised.

"_What are you doing here!_" mimicked Jessie. "It's my friend's room that's why!" she snapped.

"Jessie? What's taking you?" said Violet, pushing past Jessie to face Hermione. "Come on in," she said, gesturing to Hermione to enter her room.

"No, maybe I'll come another time."

"Yeah, maybe you should," said Jessie, smirking. Hermione was about tell Jessie to lay off when Violet said, "Oh stop it, Jessie. Just go back inside; I'll come in a minute."

Jessie rolled her eyes and muttered, "You're wasting your time." Violet ignored her and looked back at Hermione.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" 

"Oh, well I just wanted to ask you if you had seen the notices for scuba diving." Violet nodded.

"Yeah I did. Are you going too?" she said, excitedly.

Hermione nodded her head and squealed, "It's going to be so much fun! Do you want to go together? I mean we can have our breakfast together and go." 

"Yeah, alright! Are you sure you don't want to come in? I'll make sure that Jessie and the rest of the girls don't bother you."

"No, no! It's okay, I'll see you tomorrow!" Violet grinned and closed the door. Hermione barely walked five paces when the door reopened and Jessie walked out. Hermione frowned and glared at her. Jessie looked at her and smiled evilly. "So. You've become good buddies with one of my friends huh?"

"What's your problem? So what if I'm friends with Violet or any other one of your friends," said Hermione, coldly.

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all. I just don't want to see you get hurt." Jessie slowly advanced towards her. Hermione laughed dryly. "Don't laugh, when you'll regret it afterwards," whispered Jessie. 

Hermione chuckled, "And why shouldn't I? You're talking a load of rubbish."

"Do you think that she would still want to be friends with you if she ever found out that you're in a lower class than us? Please…"

SMACK! Hermione, red with anger, looked at Jessie, who was clutching her cheek in shock. "Don't you dare talk about me like that! I've never met someone as arrogant as you! All you care is about how rich you are and your bloody reputation! And don't you ever talk to me in that manner," said Hermione in a dangerous tone. Her face was flushed and her eyes were filled with loathing. She felt good. Slapping Jessie made her feel like she had finally given her what she had deserved; it felt as good as punching Malfoy.

Jessie continued to clutch her cheek and she looked at Hermione as if she couldn't believe what she had just done. "You'll pay for that," Jessie whispered, slowly lowering her hand from her red cheek. Hermione stared icily back and replied, "I'm not the kind of person you can threaten." With that, Hermione stalked off towards her room, not looking back to check whether Jessie had gone back to the room.

Her mind was now filled with new thoughts and questions. Would Jessie tell Violet that she had slapped her? _Of course she will! She'll even tell Violet a fake story so that I'll look bad!_ Would Violet believe Jessie? Would she still be Hermione's friend after what she had done? Hermione definitely didn't want to ruin things between her and Violet.

Hermione angrily slammed her room door and flopped onto her bed. Why was taking a vacation so hard? She came here to relax but so far it seemed that whatever she did, she always had a problem in her hands. Hermione needed to talk to Violet but to do that she would have to wait until the next morning. She just hoped that Violet would believe her.

Hermione nervously waited for Violet at the breakfast lounge. She was fidgeting with a tissue paper which she wrung over and over again. She looked everywhere but she couldn't see Violet anywhere. She started to feel a little bit depressed. Maybe she believed Jessie after all.

"Looking for me?"

Hermione literally jumped out of fright; the tissue paper falling from her hands. She laid a hand on her chest and turned around to see Violet. "Violet!" yelped Hermione.

Violet chuckled slightly and said, "Scared I wouldn't show up?" Hermione gave her a weak smile and nodded. 

"Did Jessie tell -"

"She did. But I wanted to hear your part of the story."

So Hermione told her the whole story, not leaving anything out. "I know you've been friends with Jessie for a long time but I promise you that what I'm telling you is the truth! I would never just randomly hurt somebody. I -" But she stopped as Violet held out her hand.

"It's alright, I believe you."

Taken aback, Hermione said, "You do?" Violet nodded.

"I know Jessie inside out and I know when she tells me a lie or not. Anyway, I've seen her provoke others so I know how she can be.

Hermione was so relieved. She smiled and said, "Ready to go scuba diving?" Violet grinned and replied, "Let's go!"

Half an hour later, she, Violet and a dozen of others (including Jessie and the other girls) stood in front of the diving coach, Maria. Maria was explaining the rules and regulations of scuba diving when someone whispered in her ear, "Ready to go underwater, Granger? I thought you weren't the fun type." Hermione turned to find Malfoy smirking at her.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed. 

"Trying different sports, Granger. Not that you would know anything about that. Do you think I came on this boat to sit in my room and dial room service all day long? I've got a life, you see." 

"I never knew," snapped Hermione. "Why don't you stick your head underwater and drown yourself."

"Ladies first," growled Malfoy before going to stand some place else. Hermione clenched her fists. How she wished she could use her wand so that she could blast him into smithereens. Her insides screamed in frustration. Why did he have to be so infuriating? Hermione sighed heavily and concentrated back to Marie. She was not about to let Malfoy ruin her mood.

Another half an hour went by and everyone was equipped with their masks, tanks and diving suits; they were all practicing in the swimming pool. Hermione got used to the heavy tank on her back and started to get the hang of breathing. Malfoy on the other hand, was having trouble underwater and continuously kept muttering, "Stupid muggle equipment. How people can get used to this kind of sports is beyond me."

Hermione, who was fed up with his silly mutterings, went up to him and said, "Just because you can't do it, don't blame it on the equipment! People enjoy this sport because they know how to do it, unlike someone around here."

"What's your problem anyway!" he said angrily. "It's not like the equipment have feelings or anything. And by the way, it's not like you're some kind of expert at this sport. Just go underwater and practice Granger, so that I won't be able to hear you."

"At least I can stick my head under water without drowning myself," she snapped. 

Ignoring her, Malfoy put on his mask and ducked his head underwater. Hermione scowled and went over to Violet. "What happened?" asked Violet, pulling off her own mask.

"Nothing. I was just taking care of a problem."

"Alright then. You all have practiced and it seems all of you have finally got the hang of it," said Marie. "Now before we all go into the sea, I am going to pair you all up. You and your partner must stay together at all times so that if there's any trouble, one of you can help the other. There will also be expert divers around who will be wearing yellow suits so there's no need to worry." She clasped her hands together and looked around. "Any questions?" No one said anything so she said, "Good. Let's pair you all up." 

Hermione immediately moved towards Violet but Marie said, "Violet and Draco, you both can go together." Violet looked at Draco, who gave her a lazy smile. She looked back at Hermione and smiled sadly.

"Well, at least I'm paired up with someone I know." Hermione nodded. She hoped that she would be paired up with Roger or the other guys, who had all come.

Marie went on pairing people up when she finally said her name. "Hermione! Why don't you be with…Jessie."

Someone suddenly burst out laughing and Hermione turned around to see Malfoy looking at her and laughing extremely hard.

"Goodness, Draco! What in the world is so funny?" asked Marie, astonished with his sudden outburst.

Malfoy stifled his laughter and replied, "Nothing. Nothing at all." Marie looked at him strangely and went off pairing others. Draco looked at Hermione again and mouthed 'you and Jessie'. He winked and gave her a thumbs up. Hermione scowled and looked over at Jessie who had her mouth open in disgust. Hermione rolled her eyes. _Why is everything bad happening to me! What in the world did I do wrong?_

It was a whole new world under the sea which Hermione had to explore by herself as her 'partner' had gone off without waiting for her. 

Millions of different species were swimming around her. Sea anemones slowly drifted against the current, bright coloured fish swirled around her and corals of every colour covered the seabed. This new world was a place of colours and beauty with different little creatures lurking behind every rock and seaweed. It was a place that took Hermione's breath away.

Suddenly Hermione stopped swimming. Something didn't feel right. _Nothing's wrong. Don't panic. It's okay. Just breathe._ But she couldn't breathe properly! She tried again but oxygen was coming in small amounts. Could the gas in the tank get over? She didn't want to know, so she calmed herself and tried breathing again but this time, no oxygen came at all.

Hermione's eyes grew wide with fear and she thrashed around wildly, clutching her throat. She needed to get to the surface and fast! She tried swimming upwards but couldn't. She looked down and saw to her horror, her feet entangled with seaweed. She looked around for Jessie but she was nowhere to be seen; not even the expert divers were in the vicinity. Tears streamed out of her eyes as she tried to pull her feet free. _Please somebody, help!_

Draco was glad that he was paired up with Violet. They both explored the sea together; Violet pointing to every fish in excitement. Draco smiled and followed behind her but stopped as something caught his eye. Someone was madly trashing around in the water a little way off. Curious, he swam a little closer and saw to his horror, Hermione clutching her throat and trying to pull her entangled feet free. 

Draco looked around wildly for Jessie but she was nowhere to be seen; even the expert divers weren't there! Draco's head was screaming for help. He was too far off to save her in time! He looked everywhere for any sign of the divers and then looked at Hermione who was flailing her arms. And then he swam. He swam as fast as he could towards Hermione. If he didn't help her, no one would.


	9. Protected

Draco urged himself forward; arms and legs now aching from his exertion. Hermione wasn't far off anymore. He didn't know for how long she had been in this state underwater but he could see she was still struggling in vain to disentangle herself. At least she was not yet unconscious

He finally reached her and swam to her foot to pull away the seaweed. Hermione looked down in shock and relief with her mouth clamped shut; she had taken off the tube connected to the tank as it was no use anyway. She didn't know for how much longer she could hold her breath and deep inside she had a feeling she wouldn't make it back to the surface. With this in mind, Hermione let out a small whimper, making bubbles as her breath escaped from her lips. She quickly controlled herself and pressed her lips together. She had to make it, and letting herself lose control wasn't going to help.

As Hermione felt the seaweed leave her feet, her heart skipped a beat. She looked up to see how far she had to swim and her shoulders fell; she was too deep. But she had to try; she would have to somehow make it, so she swam upwards as fast as she could. An arm slid around her waist and she felt herself being pulled upwards more easily. She looked to see Malfoy urging both of them up towards the surface and she felt a wave of hope wash over her; maybe she could still make it.

Draco tightened his grip around Hermione's waist and brought her closer to him; he could feel her strength fade away as she could no longer hold her breath. All together, Hermione stopped swimming and Draco looked at her in dismay as her head tilted backwards; eyes fluttering close. His heart thudded against his chest and he swam upwards with more force; not loosening his grip on her.

Finally after what seemed like hours, his head hit the surface. He quickly swam to the ship and climbed the ladder that led to ship's deck; pulling Hermione up after him. As he laid Hermione on the floor, he heard Marie exclaim loudly and rush to his side. "What happened? Oh my goodness! I'll call the life guards; they're at the other end of the deck," she said, frantically.

"There's no time," he whispered and before Marie could reply, he took Hermione's mouth in his and breathed into her.

Hermione coughed and felt water spurt out of her mouth. Her eyes slowly opened as she continued to cough harshly; her lungs aching and her head pounding. Water trickled down from her parted lips as she breathed in deeply.

"Thank heavens! Draco! You did it! You saved her," cried Marie happily as she draped a towel over Hermione. Hermione looked to her side and saw Malfoy looking at her intently and panting heavily. What had happened? What had — She stopped. She remembered the seaweed, the horrifying feeling of not being able to breathe, Malfoy helping her up towards the surface and then blacking out. 

"Hermione, come on. Up you get. I'll help you to the first aid area," said Marie but Hermione didn't move; she continued to look at Malfoy who desperately tried to avoid her gaze. 

"Hermione?"

"Can you give me a moment to be with him? I'll go there when I'm finished," said Hermione, looking at Marie pleadingly. Marie shrugged and said, "Why not? After all, he saved you."

After Marie had left, Hermione and Draco stayed silent for a few seconds. She pulled the towel tighter over her and said, "Thank you." She would have drowned if it weren't for him. Hermione's lips trembled as these thoughts crossed her mind.

"I could have drowned if you hadn't helped me," she said, her voice also trembling. She was close to crying but she fought back the tears.

"It was nothing," he murmured.

"Even it was nothing to you, it meant everything to me. I wouldn't be here if you - " she couldn't go on anymore. _Don't cry Hermione. It's okay now! You're not dead, you're alive so don't cry_… But she couldn't fight back the tears anymore. Draco looked up to see a tear roll down her cheek and out of reflex, he cupped her face with one hand and brushed the tear away with his thumb. Hermione flinched and looked at him in surprise. Realizing his mistake he quickly withdrew his hand and looked at it in shock.

It was out of instinct he had done it. He couldn't bear to see anyone cry, even if it was Hermione. It was his weakness. That was one of the reasons he didn't want to become a death eater; he couldn't bear to look at the people Voldemort had killed without hesitating… they would beg and cry. He looked at her and saw her staring at him in confusion.

"I can't bear to see any girl cry," he whispered, looking away from her. "I didn't mean to do it. It was like a reflex. It didn't mean anything." 

"I know," she said, shivering slightly.

Draco looked over at her and saw her trembling. He got up and helped her to her feet. "Go and get warmed up. Marie will be waiting near the first aid area."

Hermione looked at him curiously and said, "Why are you doing all this?"

"What? Should I taunt and mock you when you were so close to dying minutes ago? I'm not that low…"

Hermione nodded slowly. Maybe Malfoy wasn't all that bad. Maybe he had a side that he didn't want to show. She slowly walked towards Marie when Malfoy said, "Granger!" 

Hermione looked back at Malfoy and replied, "What?" 

"Don't you ever cry in front of me again," he smirked. 

"I wouldn't dare to cry in front of you again," she said, half-laughing. She turned around and headed towards Marie; a smile breaking out from her face. Marie and some other few nurses fussed over her; checking her temperature and thanking the lord that she had not drowned.

"That boy has some talents up his sleeve," said Marie, nodding towards Draco who was looking out into the sea. She gave Hermione a cup of hot chocolate and said, "I mean who knew he could do CPR? If it weren't for-"

Hermione started to cough; choking on the hot chocolate. "W-what do you mean?"

"Well that boy got you out of the water and before I had the chance to call on the life guards he had already started to breathe into you."

"B-breathe into me?" Hermione grimaced and her face contorted as if she had something sour in her mouth. Marie laughed.

"Well if it wasn't for that you wouldn't be here right now!" she said. Hermione nodded her head in agreement. But still! It was Malfoy after all!

Her fingers slowly brushed against her lips. Yes, Malfoy really was a boy with hidden talents. He was also someone she would never understand.

Violet climbed onto the deck and saw Malfoy staring at the sea. Furiously, she went over to him and shouted, "What the hell are you doing here? You just left me down there! We're supposed to stay together but nooo… you swam off somewhere else and ended up here! You could have at least told me-"

"Violet!" he said, interrupting midway. He looked at her and calmly replied, "I never meant to leave you down there."

"Then why the hell are you up here?" she said, exasperatedly.

He sighed and told her the whole story. She didn't believe him at first but Marie came over to them and confirmed what had happened. Violet gasped in horror as he relived the story again.

"B-but where was Jessie? And what about the expert divers?" Violet exclaimed.

"I will have to see into that," said Marie, gravely. "I don't know what those divers were doing down there. Oh, they'll be in trouble when they get back. As for Jessie, we'll have to ask her when she returns."

When Marie walked off, Violet said, "I'm going to see Hermione, I'll see you around." Draco nodded and watched as she ran off. He looked out to the sea, a flood of emotions taking over him. He remembered the way he wiped her tear away, as if he was protecting her; he remembered the way his heart leaped as the tear ran down her face. For the first time, he had truly felt afraid; he thought that she had died, literally died in his arms.

Deep down inside he felt a little something for Granger but at this point he just couldn't come to himself to admit it. He knew it wasn't anything serious; after all, he was an 18 year old with raging hormones.

After Violet had checked up on Hermione and left her to rest, she lay down on her bed. The first thing that popped into her mind was Draco. She remembered how he came swimming to her side and helped her to get back to the surface; she remembered the way he brushed away her tear. _Stop it! It didn't mean anything anyway! It was a friendly gesture._ A friendly gesture… she had realized that she didn't really know Draco at all. Who could imagine Draco act like that anyway?

First he gets her out of an embarrassing situation and then he saves her life; Malfoy had certainly changed in some aspects. Although he was still an arrogant jerk and a big flirt, she didn't really think of him as the boy back in Hogwarts anymore; like he said, he wasn't a kid anymore. A little part of her was glad that he was on the same boat; somehow she felt protected.


	10. The Breakfast Lounge

Hermione woke up the next day to find Hedwig sitting outside in her balcony with a letter attached to her leg. She quickly got up and went out, gasping as the cold wind nipped at her face.

"Hello, Hedwig," she murmured, stroking the beautiful owl. Hedwig nipped at her fingers gently and held out her leg for Hermione to untie the letter. Hermione settled herself on the hammock and unfolded the letter eagerly.

_Hey Hermione!_

It's good to know you're enjoying yourself. We've got loads to tell you but we'll leave that till the end of the letter. So, Malfoy's on the ship too huh? Well you know 'Mione, he isn't what we thought he would be. He's really changed. I know you may think Ron and I are crazy since we've hated him our whole time at Hogwarts but he's done things that changed our minds.

When he came to our side during the war we all didn't trust him at all, but there was this one time when Malfoy proved his loyalties. Lucius was aiming the 'Avada Kedavra' curse at Ron but Malfoy pushed him out of the way and aimed a stunning spell at his own father. We didn't tell anyone about what had happened because he made us promise not to tell.

It's not like we're best friends with him or anything, it's just that we now know that Malfoy isn't what he used to be. We're sorry we didn't tell you earlier but we thought it would be better to keep his promise as a repayment since he saved Ron's life. We haven't seen him after the war ended. He may have come to the good side but I guess that won't stop him being an arrogant jerk.

Well enough of that! The good news is that Lavender will be coming soon to visit Ron for a week (he's so excited) and for the grand finale: Fleur is pregnant! Isn't that brilliant? Anyway, we'll write again soon. We're missing you loads. Write back to us as soon as you can!

Love,

Harry and Ron

Hermione's jaw dropped as she read the letter. So many things were said on this sheet of parchment that she didn't know how to control her emotions. She didn't know whether to leap in joy for Fleur, sigh with happiness for Ron or knock down Malfoy's door and thank him for saving Ron. She was so happy for Fleur and Bill and wished that she was there when they had announced the wonderful news. She was also glad Lavender was going over to spend some time with Ron; they had both been going out since the end of the war. Ron and her broke things off between them during their 7th year because they decided that they were better off friends.

And Malfoy… So far, she had learned something new about him on every occasion they've been together. She sighed and re-read the letter.

"Hedwig," she said, stroking the owl, "I will never understand boys."

"And I will never understand girls."

Hermione jumped in fright and looked up from the letter to see Malfoy looking over at her from his balcony.

"Malfoy!" she yelled, nearly falling off her hammock.

"Woah! Relax, Granger. Don't get too excited," he said, a smirk plastered on his face.

Hermione regained her composure and snapped, "I'm not getting excited, you just scared me a little, that's all."

Malfoy laughed. "A little? You should have seen you face, Granger; did I scare you that much?" 

Hermione frowned and replied haughtily, "Just bug off will you?"

"That's not a very nice way to talk to your saviour now, is it?" he said casually

Hermione snorted. "Don't think too much of yourself, Malfoy. Just because you saved my life, it doesn't mean you're not an annoying prat." She didn't know why she was being rude to him; shouldn't she be a little nicer towards him after all that he's done?

He clutched his heart in mock pretend and said, "That really hurt, Granger. Yesterday you were practically all over me, thanking me over and over again and crying your eyes out and today, you're back to insulting."

Hermione blushed furiously. Why oh why did she have cry in front of him?

After a moment of silence, Hermione said, "You're right. I'm sorry for snapping at you." Malfoy looked at her, clearly not expecting such an answer. His face turned from slight confusion to a small grimace.

"Don't get all mushy on me, now."

"I am not getting all mushy on you!" Hermione exploded her face hot with embarrassment.

"Good, because I don't want that whole incident to go to your head."

"It's not!" she snapped. "Merlin, I was just being nice!"

"Well don't. It's weird."

"Fine!" She got off the hammock and stormed into her room, slamming the balcony door shut. Why did she even bother being nice to him? 

Malfoy chuckled slightly as she stormed away; he loved to get to her nerves. It was true that he felt uncomfortable whenever she was nice towards him. It was okay when he was being nice but not when someone else was returning that gesture; not that anyone had, it was only Granger who had recently been returning it.

"What happened?" asked Violet, as she watched her friend furiously mumble something and wolf down her food at the breakfast lounge. Hermione huffed and swallowed her food before replying, "Malfoy."

"Oh," said Violet with a hint of amusement, "Malfoy." Hermione looked at her curiously and saw that Violet was holding in a laugh.

Hermione looked at her in bewilderment and said, "Violet! This is not funny!"

Violet burst out laughing. "Yes, it is!"

"No, it isn't! How can you possibly find it amusing? I had another argument with Mr.-Arrogant-Jerk and you find it funny?"

"Aw, come on, Hermione. Lighten up! Don't let him get to you."

"I won't," she growled and continued eating her food.

"You know," said Violet slowly, "This whole 'hate' thing between you and Draco might spark something between you two."

"What do you mean?"

"Well you know, all these fights and arguments just might blossom into…love." Hermione almost choked on her toast and had to struggle to gulp it down.

"WHAT?" she yelled, once she was able to talk. "You think that Malfoy and I could possibly f-fall in l-love?" Hermione looked at Violet for a second and then broke into a hysterical laugh.

"Hermione! It happens! First comes hate and then comes L-O-V-E," said Violet, winking.

"No! It won't! Trust me. Leave me alone in a room with him and we'll probably kill each other."

"Well you never know. It just might happen."

Hermione shook her head vigorously. It was creepy just thinking about herself falling in love with him. Not that he wasn't handsome or anything, or that he wasn't somewhat attractive and smart and… What was she thinking!

"No. Not with Malfoy. Never," she said, desperately trying to convince Violet… probably even herself too.

"Who are you talking about? Me? How sweet…" Hermione groaned out loud and turned around to see Malfoy pulling up a chair.

"Violet! Good morning! What are you and my girlfriend talking about?" he said, sitting on the chair and lazily leaning back. He looked at Hermione and gave her a small wink.

Hermione's face grew hot; he definitely knew how to get under her skin. Violet chuckled and said, "You can stop pretending, Draco. Hermione already told me that you two aren't going out." Draco gasped in mock surprise and looked at Hermione.

"We aren't going out? When the bloody hell did we break up!" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Hermione scowled and kicked him under the table.

"Shove off, Malfoy! Get your own table," she hissed.

"I'm not going anywhere," he sneered. "I'm not going to sit alone when I can sit with people I know."

Violet watched the two of them bicker with amusement. She just couldn't help feeling that their relationship would intensify. Both of them were smart and stubborn, neither of them willing to let the other win during their arguments. She wondered how long it would take for both of them to realize how similar they were and how already they were slowly falling for each other.

Hermione's insides screamed in frustration; she wanted to curse him into oblivion, punch him, and scream at him… anything to let out her anger. She clenched her fork tightly in her hand and bit her lower lip to stop herself from shouting.

"That's right, Granger. Control your anger, because there's no point arguing with me," said Draco, ruffling his hair and taking a sip from Violet's glass of water.

"Why you -"

"Shut up! Both of you!" hissed Violet. She leaned across the table and said, "Listen you two, you both better pull yourself together and start to cooperate."

Hermione raised her eyebrow and snapped, "And why would I want to do that when he's the one who doesn't want to listen to anything I say."

"Excuse me, but who's the one who wanted to kick me out from this table? You're the one who started this whole argument."

"Listen to me!" she urged, pulling them both so that all three of them were leaning towards each other. "Jessie just entered the restaurant with Laura and Terry. Now, you both better start acting like you're going out otherwise, Hermione, she's going to taunt you even more and, Draco, she will definitely make a move on you. Unless of course, you both don't mind that…"

Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. She looked over at Malfoy and said, "Well it's up to him… if he cooperates with me then probably -"

"If I cooperate with you? I will if you will, otherwise I don't mind Jessie making a move on me because that girl is pretty hot even though she may seem like Pansy -"

"Yeah, because you only go for their looks," Hermione shot back.

"You both better make up your minds because she's coming over here," said Violet. Draco looked at Hermione who stared angrily back.

"Fine," he growled. "I'll do it so that you don't get humiliated."

"Wow. You care so much," she said sarcastically.

Jessie, Laura and Terry reached their table and stood over them. "Hey you guys, mind if we join you?" asked Jessie sweetly, giving Draco a wide smile. 

"Yeah, we mind. You've got some nerve coming over to me after what you did yesterday," said Hermione, glaring at her. 

Jessie gasped and put her hand over her mouth. "Oh, Hermione! That was a total mistake! I didn't mean to leave you! I thought you were behind me the whole time." Her whole act was so fake that Hermione just stared at her. How could she possibly think that anyone would fall for that?

All three of them pulled up a chair and sat down; Jessie sitting in between Hermione and Draco and Terry and Laura sitting next to Violet. Hermione looked at Jessie, open-mouthed, as she animatedly started to talk with Draco. Wasn't he going to do anything? Shouldn't he ask Jessie to move so that he could sit next her, like a real boyfriend would do? Hermione sighed, _he isn't your real boyfriend so why should he?_ But they were still pretending!

Malfoy wanted to tell Jessie to move so that he could sit next to his 'girlfriend' but he couldn't because Jessie was talking to him non-stop. If he had to pretend, he might as well pretend the whole way and to do that he would have to act like her real 'boyfriend'.

Draco cleared his throat and Jessie stopped mid-way in her sentence. "Sorry, but do you think we could switch places so that I can sit next to Gra- Hermione?" 

Hermione's heart beat wildly against her chest and her spirits soared; she blushed as Malfoy said her name and couldn't help curl her lips in a small smirk. Jessie gave Draco a strained smile and replied, "Sure."

They both got up and switched places. Hermione caught Violet's eye and they both tried to contain their laughter. They could see Jessie's face turn red with embarrassment and fury. Hermione looked at Malfoy as he sat down next to her; her heart beating wildly.

"So… I was wondering whether you both want to join us tonight. We're going to the 'Cocktail Bar' for a drink at around nine o'clock," said Jessie. "Even the guys are going to be there. Do want to come?"

Without even asking Hermione, Draco replied, "Yeah, sure! We'll come."

Hermione looked at Malfoy in revelation and exclaimed, "I don't want to go!"

Jessie smiled mischievously and said, "Aw, that's too bad. Draco can come by himself then." Jessie put her hand on Malfoy's shoulder and Hermione felt a pang of jealousy.

She scowled and said, "No, I've changed my mind. I'm coming."

Jessie's smile fell and her face darkened. "Fine," she said, getting up from the table; Terry and Laura following suit. "We'll see you tonight."

All of a sudden Hermione yelped in shock as her glass of water tipped over and went spilling down her shorts. She quickly stood up, grabbed a napkin and started to clean herself.

"Toodles," said Jessie and stalked off without another word.

"What the hell just happened?" Hermione said, furiously trying to wipe her shorts dry.

"Relax, Granger. It just fell over; what's the big deal?"

"You! Why did you have to open your big mouth and say that you wanted to go the bar? You didn't even ask me if I wanted to go or not!" She angrily threw the napkin onto the table and glared at him.

"Because I want to go that bar! And besides why did you change your mind? You could've just stayed quiet."

"I-I don't…know," she muttered.

"Well that's your fault then. You know, you don't have to come."

"What! And let Jessie get what she wants? No way," Hermione folded her arms grumpily.

Draco laughed. "And what could that possible be?" he said.

Hermione looked at him sarcastically and said, "You."

"I know you want me, Granger, but -"

"Shut up, Malfoy! I'm going so that she doesn't get it her way, you jerk!"

"You both shut up!" snapped Violet. "You have a whole night to go so don't waste your breath."

Hermione moaned and whispered, "What will I do in a bar?"

Draco snickered, "Drink. What else?"

"I don't drink!" she shrieked. Draco shrugged and replied, "Fine then, just drink a glass of juice."

Hermione scowled. It was going to be a long night. A _very_ long night.


	11. Cocktail Bar

"Hermione! Just sit down, will you? You're giving me a headache!"

Hermione was walking up and down her room, mumbling feverishly under breath. She'd been doing this for the past half an hour and Violet was getting tired of Hermione's antics. Hermione was debating on whether she should go to the bar that night or just let Malfoy go alone. The worst part was that a part of her didn't like the idea of Jessie getting a clear shot at Malfoy.

Her head screamed in frustration. _I'm not going. Who cares if Jessie tries to hit on Malfoy! What will I do in a bar anyway? Who cares if Malfoy falls for Jessie...?_ But that's what bothered her! She did care! Hermione stopped in her tracks and tangled her hands in her hair. I shouldn't be feeling this way! I've got to stop it right now!

Violet looked at the distressed Hermione and walked over to her. She rested her hand on Hermione shoulder and said, "What's wrong? How can going to a bar stress you out so much! It's just a place where you can drink and relax! Will you calm down?"

"It's not that! It's just that I feel — forget it! I'm not going. I'm not going to that stupid bar with Malfoy. I'm not going anywhere where he'll go. I'll just stay in my room and watch some television or something." Violet shrugged her shoulders and said, "It's up to you. But then Jessie will definitely make her move on Draco."

"So? I'm not even his girlfriend — not that I want to be. Why should I care?"

Violet raised her eyebrow. "But you'll be letting Jessie get exactly what she wants. You'll be playing right into her hands!"

Hermione looked at her skeptically and said, "No offence but aren't you Jessie's friend too? I mean I'm grateful for what you're telling me and everything but you're totally turning against one of your friends. It's not that I don't want to be your friend or anything — I really do…!"

Violet laughed and shook her head. "I know what you mean. It's just that I'm sick of Jessie's behavior. I've told her a million times not to do what she usually does — you know, treat other people like dirt and stuff but she won't listen!" She sighed, "Believe me; I would never talk behind someone's back. It's just that you're my friend too and I don't want to see you get hurt just because of Jessie."

Hermione smiled and threw her hands around Jessie, pulling her into a tight hug. "You're the best friend a girl could ask for." Violet chuckled and replied, "I know right? No one could be a better friend than me." Hermione pulled away from her and playfully smacked her arm. "Alright, Miss Modesty, now tell me why should I care whether I let Jessie get what she wants or not?"

"Because you're a fighter," said Jessie simply. "A fighter never lets her opponent win; no matter how much she feels like giving up."

Hermione smirked and said, "Oh, alright. I'll come for the sake of being a fighter. Happy?" Violet nodded and started to circle around Hermione, frowning; her hand massaging her chin as if she were deep in thought.

"Violet, why are you circling around me like a hawk?" Violet stopped and looked at her, a grin spreading across her face. Hermione looked at her curiously.

"Well," said Violet cautiously, "We need to figure out what you should wear tonight. Something to knock him off his feet." Hermione looked at her in disbelief and snorted, "I'm not dressing up to impress Him!"

Violet rested her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side. "Alright, fine. Wear some jeans and a t-shirt to a bar. Everyone will be wearing something fancy, Hermione! You don't want to feel left out, do you?"

Hermione huffed and mumbled, "Alright, alright. I'll wear something nice. But I'm NOT wearing it to knock him off his feet."

Draco sat on his bed, his back resting against a pillow which was propped against the head board. He twiddled his thumbs and absent-mindedly stared into space. Tonight was going to be very enjoyable; he could feel it. For the first time, he would be able to spend time with Roger, Alex, Tom and Jake; with friends. The friends he had in the past were no true friends. They didn't really care for him; they barely even knew him for that matter.

Draco blinked several times; waking from his reverie. He looked at the clock hanging from the wall and lazily stretched. What time was he supposed to be at the bar? Nine o'clock?

Draco suddenly jumped from the bed as he realized that he was supposed to go with Granger to the bar. He slapped his forehead and thought, _what am I supposed to do now? Should I pick her up or just go and meet her there?_

Draco knocked on her door until he heard the door knob moving. He took one step back as the door swung open, revealing a very annoyed Hermione.

"You!" Hermione exclaimed, holding onto the door frame.

"Hello to you too," replied Draco, shoving past her and inviting himself into her room. Hermione looked at him in incredulity and said, "You can't just come in!"

"I thought I already did," he said casually, "Violet! What are you doing here?" Hermione rolled her eyes and shut the door behind her. Wasn't he ever going to leave her alone?

"I'm her friend, Draco. Can I not visit my own friend?" said Violet, leaning back against the sofa. She motioned for him to sit down and he immediately flopped down on the opposite sofa.

"Of course you can. I was merely wondering. So what do you girls do usually? Have a little 'girl talk'?" he said, smirking his trademark smirk.

"Girl talk? Malfoy, you haven't come here to discuss what we do in our personal lives! What are you doing here! You can't just waltz into someone's room! What if someone was changing!" yelled Hermione.

"Well, all the better for me," he smiled, a mischievous grin forming on his face. Hermione scowled.

"You're such a pervert! Just get out of my room, right now!"

Malfoy chuckled. He loved their usual arguments. She would get so worked up over small things. "Just calm yourself, Granger. I've just come to ask you a question."

"A question? You nearly knocked my door off to ask a question? Couldn't you just knock once? I would have heard it, you know." Malfoy stood up and said, "Oh for god's sake Granger. It's just a few knocks; it's not going to kill you. Anyway, I was wondering about tonight."

"What about it?"

"Well…what are we going to do? Should I pick you up or will you just come by yourself?"

Hermione was just going to say that she would come by herself when Violet said cheerily, "Pick her up at nine o'clock sharp. She'll be ready by then." Draco nodded slightly and left her room, leaving Hermione confused. Once he left, she furiously said, "Violet! I'm perfectly fine going on my own!"

Violet dismissed it by waving her hand in the air. "Oh, so what if he picks you up? There's no harm in a guy picking you up. I actually find it pretty romantic."

"Except it's Malfoy we're talking about," moaned Hermione. "And anyway, it's not like he told me he would pick me up; he just gave me choice. So even if I said I would go alone, it wouldn't really matter. That's not romantic."

"True," agreed Violet, nodding her head. "Absolutely true."

Draco rolled up his sleeve so that it was folded up till his elbow and briefly looked at the mirror. He put a little perfume and quickly slipped out of his room. He was late; twenty minutes late. He stood in front of her door and was about to knock when it suddenly swung open.

Draco stared at her simple beauty. She wasn't one of those girls who had to put a lot of make-up to look good; in fact you could barely make out whether she had put any or not. Her hair was tied up in a simple knot with a small, black flower sticking out from behind. She wore a white blouse with a black skirt which came up to her knees.

"You're late," she said, stepping out from her room and closing the door; not even once looking at him. She was angry and he could tell, but he could hear a hint of sadness in her voice. He wondered why…

"And where do you think you're going? I was just about to knock on your door when -"

Hermione looked at him angrily and said, "I was just about to go to the bar myself, that's where I was going! You decided to show up late and I, like an idiot, was waiting!" Hermione took one step closer to him and he flinched backwards.

"Do you think that I would wait my entire life for you to come and pick me up?" she continued, "I am not like other girls who would wait night and day at your feet!" He looked at her in bewilderment; he didn't mean to upset her or be late on purpose…It had just happened!

Hermione saw the look of surprise on his face and realized that he didn't intend on being late; he didn't mean to keep her waiting. But twenty minutes was too much. She could understand if someone was five or ten minutes late, but twenty?

"I didn't mean to — I mean it just happened. One minute it was eight o'clock and suddenly it was quarter past nine!" he said, flabbergasted. He didn't know how to explain it to her.

"Well obviously! Time keeps on ticking, Malfoy!"

He smirked and said, "Well let's not let the time tick any longer. We're late as it is."

"This is all your fault! If you -"

"Oh, just shut that hole under your nose, Granger. Did I say it wasn't my fault?"

Before she could argue back, Malfoy took her wrist and pulled her behind him. "It's my fault, I understand! Now let's just go, shall we?"

"Do I have a choice?" she sighed, keeping up with pace; his hands still clutching into her wrist. Oh, why did she listen to Violet? She couldn't stand his behavior! She wrenched her wrist from his grasp and said, "I can walk on my own, you know. You don't have to pull me along like I'm some kind of retard."

"Aren't you?" he laughed, "I'm just joking…Let's just find our way there."

They both made their way to the Cocktail Bar, neither of them talking much. They found Violet and her group of friends sitting near the bar. The place was crowded! People drinking, people laughing, talking, dancing…The place was like a nightclub; music was playing and it was dark but there was enough light to see everything.

Hermione looked around her, feeling a tingling sensation; she felt someone was watching her. Draco looked at her as she searched around with confusion.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Hermione continued to look around. "Nothing it's just — I think…"

"What?"

"I feel like someone's watching me." Hermione stopped as she found the pair of eyes. They belonged to a man, who was looking at her with interest. He was definitely drunk, Hermione could make out. She cringed and instinctively moved closer to Malfoy. He looked where she was looking and saw the man staring at her. He saw her give Hermione a small wink and felt her move closer to him; trying to hide. A sudden feeling of resentment swept over him and he protectively laid an arm over her shoulder. Hermione, who was feeling extremely uncomfortable with the man staring at her like that, moved towards Draco's touch and looked somewhere else.

The man looked at Draco who gave him a warning glare; a glare that meant 'don't you look at her again'. The man turned away and continued starting at someplace else.

Draco let go of Hermione's shoulder and said, "It's alright, he won't look at you again."

"Merlin, what was that man's problem?"

"He was just drunk, that's all," he said, having no idea that he was unintentionally comforting her. He waved at Roger and the other guys who cheerily waved back. They made their way towards the bar and greeted the others.

"You're almost half an hour late! What took you?" Violet whispered in Hermione's ear.

"All Malfoy's fault," she sighed, "I'll tell you about it later. Hermione and Draco joined their table and they all started to talk. Fortunately for Jessie, Draco was sitting right next to her. Hermione ended up sitting right opposite Malfoy, much to her disgust. She could see exactly what was going on between the two of them and started to get annoyed as she witnessed Jessie's pathetic ways of getting Malfoy's attention.

All of them, except Hermione, ordered a drink and she felt the pressure of being the only one not drinking, but she ignored it; she didn't have to just because the others were. Roger, who was sitting next to her, started up a conversation and they both talked cheerfully. Roger was easy to talk to and she didn't feel in the least bit uncomfortable. Usually, she would feel extremely awkward because the boys she would talk to would have nothing much to say and they would struggle to find a topic to talk about.

Draco, looked at Hermione from the corner of his eye and saw that her full attention was on Roger. She was laughing at something he had said and saw her gently lay a hand on his arm. Draco quickly looked away; he shouldn't be looking at her in the first place.

"So, Draco," Jessie said, laying a hand on his shoulder and squeezing it. "How long have you known Hermione for? A long time? Did you meet her recently? Did you…"

Hermione saw Jessie talk to Malfoy with passion and saw him look at her intently. Hermione wrinkled her nose as she looked at Jessie's clothes again. She was wearing a short, black skirt and a shimmering, black tube top. It was too revealing in Hermione's opinion but Malfoy didn't seem to mind at all. _Stupid boys with raging hormones!_

"Oh, Draco!" exclaimed Jessie, pulling on Draco's arm, "They're playing my favorite song! You have to dance with me!" Draco leaned back on his chair and waved his hand. "No, thanks. I don't feel like dancing." Jessie saw him look at Hermione. "Hermione won't mind. Do you, Hermione?"

Hermione looked at Jessie coldly. What was she supposed to say? _If I say that I do mind, Malfoy will probably think that I 'want' him or he'll probably assume that I'm taking this whole 'pretending' thing too seriously._

"What if I do mind?" Hermione said. She could think of nothing else to say.

"Oh, nonsense!" Jessie laughed, "It's not like I'm going to steal him away from you!" She pulled Draco up and said, "Come on! No need to be shy!" Draco helplessly followed her, glaring furiously at Hermione. Why didn't she say, 'I do mind'!

Hermione watched as Jessie pulled him onto the dance floor. _I do mind._ Inside, she was having an emotional battle. She wanted to stop him; tell him not to dance with her but another part just wanted him to go away. Violet got up from where she was sitting and walked over to Hermione.

"Why did you let him go!" she whispered frantically.

"What was I supposed to say?"

"I don't know! Something!"

Hermione saw Jessie's arms curl around Malfoy's neck and his hands resting on her waist. Jealousy took over her and her face flushed as she saw Jessie bring Malfoy's head closer to hers.

"I knew you had a thing for Draco," said Violet, looking at Hermione stare at the two of them dancing. Hermione shook her head furiously. Violet sighed; it would still take time for her to admit it to herself.

Hermione suddenly put her hand in the air and caught one of the waiter's attention. Once he came over, she quickly ordered herself a drink. Violet looked at her friend curiously and said, "I thought you don't drink."

"I don't. I just feel like drowning all my stress on something."

Once the song was over, Draco quickly walked towards Hermione and the others; he didn't want to dance any longer with Jessie. He flopped onto his chair with relief and looked at Hermione to find that she was drinking. He cocked his eyebrow up and said, "That doesn't look like juice to me."

Hermione quickly gulped the rest of the drink down and said, "Ahh! That was good! I didn't know it would taste good!" She immediately ordered herself another one and looked at Malfoy.

"It doesn't look like juice because it isn't juice!"

"I thought you said you don't drink," said Malfoy, propping his elbow on the table and resting his head on his hand.

"I don't but I felt like having one, have you got a problem with that?" Hermione took a long gulp of the drink that the waiter placed on the table. Jessie came over and looked at Hermione with surprise.

"Oh, Hermione! You decided to have a drink! What caused you to change your mind?" said Jessie as she took her place next to Draco.

"What is everyone's problem?" Hermione exclaimed. "Is it too much of a shock if I drink!"

Jessie laughed, "No, no! Drink all you want!"

"Cheers to that!" said Hermione. She gulped down the rest of her drink and slammed the glass down on the table. "Waiter!" she said, clicking her finger in the air, "Another one here, please!"

A couple of drinks later, Hermione was intoxicated. Draco also realized that Hermione was drunk and tried to take the glass away from her, but she slapped his hand away.

"What are you taking my drink away from me for? You're drinking, she's drinking, you're all drinking and I can't?"

Draco rolled his eyes and said, "You're not used to it that's why! You're already drunk!."

"I'm not drunk! You're drunk for thinking that I am! Hah!" Hermione hiccoughed.

"Oh, let her be," said Jessie, slinging her arm around Draco, "She wants to drink, so let her."

Hermione hiccoughed again and eyed Jessie's arm. "Jessie…why don't you just kiss him and get it over with? Dr-Draco won't mind. H-he said he wouldn't mind if you made a move on him…" Hermione giggled to herself.

Draco flushed furiously and looked at Jessie with embarrassment. "No, no…I said no such thing. Don't believe a word she said. She's drunk." Jessie nodded her head but she continued to smile; she'd rather believe what Hermione had said.

Hermione tried to stand up but instead, she fell flat on the floor. "Whooops!" she giggled, as she tried to stand up. "I'm alright, I'm alright!" she said as the others came over to help her. She grabbed onto the table and steadied herself.

"My legs do feel a little wobbly, though." Once she was fully upright, she walked over to the bar; swaying as she couldn't really keep her balance. "Woah! Look at all the pretty colors!"

Malfoy got up and took hold of her arm. He looked at Jessie and the others, who were looking at Hermione with amusement, and said, "I'd better take her back to her room. She's too drunk."

"I don't want to go! I want another drink!" Hermione tried to push him away but he held onto her firmly. "I'll see you guys tomorrow. No, don't worry, Violet. I can handle her." And with that, he pulled Hermione out of 'Cocktail Bar'.

"Are you sure I can't have another drink?" she slurred. Draco took one of her arms and draped it over his shoulder to support her.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Just a tiny sip?" she said, looking at Draco with pouting lips. He laughed. Who knew Granger could get drunk? Suddenly, she stopped walking.

"Could you do me a favor?" she asked, looking at him questioningly. Draco smiled as she asked; she looked so…vulnerable, so adorable…He shook his head and asked, "What?"

She frowned and slowly said, "Well…my father used to do this thing when I was small. He used to carry me on his back…I don't feel like walking anymore…"

So Draco, carried her on his back; his arms supporting her by putting them under her legs, and her arms tightly clutching onto his neck. He couldn't believe he was actually doing this but the way she said it was hard to resist; she had looked absolutely adorable when she asked him.

"Am I heavy?" she asked as she hiccoughed once more. Draco chuckled and said, "Oh yes, Granger. You're too heavy. You should really lose some weight."

"No, no, no….I don't care what you say," she babbled, "I'm not getting off." She held onto him tightly and rested her head on his shoulder. He laughed again and headed towards their rooms.

Once there, he let Hermione down. "We're already there?" she asked.

"Yeah. Where's your card?"

"My card? I don't have a card!" 

"The key-card, Granger!"

"Ooohh!" She looked at him with confusion, paused and said, "Where is it?" He sighed loudly and snatched the purse she was holding, from her.

"Hey! You give that bac -" He looked through her purse and took out the card. He swiped it and swung open the door. She slowly went inside her room and flopped onto the bed; her face on the pillow.

Draco saw that she was fast asleep so he slowly crept back, but quite suddenly she lifted her head from her pillow and said, "Malfoy!" 

He jumped in surprise; banging his knee against one of the chairs. Cursing, he looked at Hermione. _Bloody hell! What's her problem!_

"What?"

"Malfoy…come here..."

Sighing, he slowly walked over to her and kneeled down next to her bed. "What?" he asked once more.

"Goodnight kiss…"

Hermione suddenly leaned in and kissed him squarely on the lips; catching Malfoy by surprise. She pulled away and giggled, "Goodnight." She fell back onto the pillow and fell asleep as if nothing had happened at all.

Once back in his room, he lay down on his bed; completely dazed. Granger had just kissed him! He touched his lips. What was that all about!


	12. Confessions and Realizations

Hermione moaned as sunlight poured through the window, light rays hitting her face. Her head was pounding and her mouth felt parched. She was having a major hangover. The sun shining down on her was making matters worse; it was giving her more of a headache.

"Perfect," she groaned. She pulled the blanket over her face and tried to fall back to sleep, but sleep wouldn't come.

She knew she shouldn't have drunk yesterday. She knew she shouldn't have let herself unwind, lose control. She sighed. She had let Jessie get the best of her after all…

She whimpered as last night's events flashed through her mind. She couldn't remember all that had happened, some parts were a blur. She tried to force herself to remember but it just made her headache worse, so she gave up.

Hermione licked her dry lips and slowly came out from under the blanket. She wanted water so badly but she didn't have the strength to move from her bed. She looked for her wand and realized it was stashed in one of the drawers, too far to reach out with her hands. She was about to summon her wand when —

Knock. Knock. Hermione wearily looked at the door; she hadn't the strength to ask who it was, so she helplessly stared at the door

"Hermione! Hermione, are you awake? It's me Violet." Still Hermione didn't respond. Violet knocked on the door again and said, "Hermione! Wake up! Open the door!" Knock. Knock. Hermione shut her eyes; the knocking was making her headache even worse.

She gathered up her strength and shouted, "I'm too weak to come to the door. Let me sleep."

"Oh, just let me in will you? It's better if someone's there when you're sick! Open the door or I'll knock all day."

Hermione groaned and slowly got out of bed, clutching onto her head to stifle the pain. She opened the door and croaked, "Hey…" Violet clicked her tongue and shook her head.

"You look like a wreck," chuckled Violet, taking Hermione's hand and leading her back towards her bed. Hermione did look like a mess. Her hair was sticking out from different places, her face looked pale, her eyes were tired-looking and her lips were dry as a prune. She made her lie down and went into the bathroom. "Don't get out of that bed."

Hermione snuggled under the covers and said hoarsely, "Can I get a glass of water, please…" 

Violet came out of the bathroom holding a glass of water and a wet towel. "I knew this would happen… Oh, you're so silly! What made you drink so much!"

Hermione eagerly took the glass of water from Violet and gulped the water down, immediately quenching her thirst. "Why? How many did I drink?"

Violet slapped the wet towel on Hermione's forehead, receiving a small 'ouch' from Hermione. "You had like ten, I think. Definitely not less." Hermione gaped at her in wonder.

"Ten?" Hermione mouthed. Violet nodded her head and held up ten fingers.

"Ten," confirmed Violet.

Hermione blinked several times and said, "How did I manage to do that? I mean I knew I drank but I didn't know I gulped down ten glassfuls!" 

Violet sat down on the bed and said, "Well, you did. You are quite a sight when you're drunk."

Hermione grimaced. "Don't make me feel worse. I must have made a fool out of myself." She pressed the cool towel on her forehead and whispered, "What did I do?"

Violet frowned and tucked her hair behind her ears. "Well… you did do some embarrassing things. You fell flat on the floor, you were rambling on about how Draco and Jessie should get together, you -"

"Oh, don't go further," said Hermione distressed, "It's better if I don't know." 

Violet nodded slowly in agreement and then added, "Do you know who dragged you away from that place?"

Hermione looked at her questioningly and said, "No. Who?"

"Draco."

Hermione pursed her lips. It seemed that Draco was always around to help her. He was there to 'save her form humiliation', he was the one who rescued her in the water and protectively put an arm over her when the man was looking at her. But she hadn't done anything in return; she had just insulted him all the way. But how could she be nice to him? He was so arrogant at times. And when she was being nice, he told her not to because it was 'weird'. She must have made a complete fool of herself if Malfoy had to drag her away. She was surprised she didn't remember much of what happened last night.

"Hermione, are you okay?" asked Violet curiously. Hermione sighed loudly.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine," she said, closing her eyes.

Violet nodded and said, "Good. Anyway, I have to go now. You stay in bed and get some sleep. I'll put a glass of water next to your bed."

Hermione nodded and said, "Thanks."

Hermione woke up a few hours later feeling much better. She took a nice long bath and changed into her clothes. It was time to talk with Malfoy, she decided. She needed to talk to him about yesterday night. She needed to thank him, something she'd been doing quite frequently. Why was he always the one to save her?

Once outside his room, she let out a long sigh and mumbled, "I can't believe I'm going to try and have a civilized talk with him." She knocked on the door and waited quietly, holding her breath though she didn't know why.

Draco opened the door to find a very nervous Hermione. She was biting on her lower lip and anxiously wringing her hands. He cocked up an eyebrow and said, "Fancy seeing you here after what happened last night." He opened the door wider to let Hermione in. She looked at him curiously as she entered.

Hermione walked over to the sofa and sat down. "Why? What happened last night?" she asked. She watched as Draco sat opposite her, looking at her intently.

"So you have no idea about last night?" he asked, somewhat relieved. He didn't want to feel awkward whenever she was around.

"No. What happened?"

"Nothing," he chuckled, "nothing at all." Hermione sat up properly and glared at him. She knew he was lying, she knew he was not telling her something.

"What happened," she demanded, "tell me right now."

Draco's smile disappeared as he saw her get angry. What should he her tell her? He wasn't gong to tell her that she kissed him squarely on the lips! It would be too weird.

"Well, I dropped you to your room," he said shrugging.

"And..?" she said, restlessly tapping her feet on the floor.

"And then we both went into your room," he said slowly.

Hermione looked at him nervously and said, "And..? That's it right? And then you went into your room, right?" Draco smiled wickedly. Hermione's eyes widened in fear. They couldn't have!

"Let's just say, you made noises that I never knew a woman could make," he smirked. This was true. Just before he had left her room, he heard her snore so loudly that it could've woken up the dead.

Hermione stood up and shrieked. _This is not happening to me! I didn't do it with Draco Malfoy! I did not! I did not! Did I?_ Hermione angrily stomped over to where Malfoy was sitting and poked him on the chest with her finger.

"Tell me we didn't!" she screamed, poking him again. "Tell me -"

"We didn't!" he said, taking hold of her finger with one hand and rubbing his chest with the other. Hermione gaped at him. Was this his idea of a joke?

Hermione wrenched her finger away and said, "Tell the truth."

"We didn't," he chuckled slightly, "I was referring to your snores." Relief spread through Hermione. She flopped down next to Draco and fanned her face with her hand. She knew she should be angry with Draco but she was too relieved to be mad at him.

"You're the most biggest jerk on the planet!" she exclaimed.

"Now that's just silly," he said, facing her, "have you met everyone on the planet?"

"Oh, bug off!" she said, folding her arms across her chest and sinking lower onto the couch. Draco smiled to himself. She was acting like such a kid.

"So... are you going to tell me why I have the pleasure of your company today?"

"I'm here to say thank you, something I've been doing quite often ever since I've arrived. And," she said, absent-mindedly scratching her head, "to ask you a question."

"Which would be?"

Hermione took a deep breath and sighed, "Why are you helping me? I mean, when I'm not in trouble. You help me at times when I'm not in any serious danger or anything. Why are you always the one to lend a hand?"

Draco looked at her questioningly and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well," she said, getting up and pacing up and down, "For instance, yesterday. Why were you the one to take me back to my room? Why not someone else —"

"Why not? Is it wrong if someone such as me helps someone such as you?" he snapped, getting angry. Was it wrong for him to help? Was it wrong because he was a Malfoy? "I thought a little gratefulness was in order but you decide to question my actions."

Hermione looked at him with surprise, "No, it's not wrong for you to help. And I am grateful!"

"Well then? What could possibly be the problem? Tell it straight out," he said, standing up and glaring angrily at Hermione.

"It's just that whenever you do something like that, I feel like an idiot!"

Draco rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said sarcastically, "But if you haven't noticed, I've been saving you from acting like a complete idiot rather than you feeling like one."

Hermione opened her mouth to say something but nothing came in mind, so she shut her mouth. After a short pause, she said, "Right."

"And may I ask why you feel like an idiot when I help?"

"Well it's hard to explain. When I woke up this morning, Violet told me what had happened yesterday and told me that you had taken me back to my room. When she said that, I was like 'oh, no. What did I do yesterday that he had to take me back? Was I that uncontrollable?' That kind of feeling. An embarrassing, idiotic sort of feeling."

Draco slowly nodded his head and sat back down. Hermione followed suit and said, "I didn't mean anything in a bad way."

"We've almost had a civil conversation, haven't we?" said Draco.

Hermione nodded her head and replied, "Yes, almost." She stood up and was about to tell him that it was time for her to go when someone knocked on the door. 

"Draco? Are you in there?"

He walked to the door, opened it and found Roger and Alex standing outside. They smiled and said, "Hey, can we come in?"

Draco smiled happily and let them in. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked cheerily. 

"Well you're our friend now! And anyway we wanted to ask you if you'd like to come with us tonight," said Roger. "Oh, Hermione! Good to see you!"

Draco was bursting with happiness. Roger and Alex had both come over to personally invite him! For the first time, he had gained true friends and that was all he could ask for. "What are you guys doing tonight?" he asked, his smile still plastered on his face. Hermione looked at Malfoy curiously, a little taken back with his sudden cheeriness.

"Well we're going to a bar tonight; another one rather than Cocktail Bar. Are you free to come?" asked Alex.

"Brilliant!" he exclaimed, receiving a strange glance from all three. "Oh, well I mean I'm free. Yeah, I'll come," he said slightly embarrassed.

"Hermione, we'd love for you to come but today is only for the guys; you know, like a boy's night out kind of thing," said Roger.

"Oh, no no! I don't mind at all! I think it's a great opportunity for you guys to have a little 'boy talk'," she chuckled, looking at Malfoy who rolled his eyes. 

"Right, then. Anyway Draco, the place is called 'Cheers'. We'll meet around, say half past nine?" asked Roger, opening the door and closing it halfway.

"Sure. I'll see you guys then." Draco closed the door and grinned widely.

Hermione cocked one eyebrow and asked slowly, "Do you have a fever or something?"

"No," he said, striding past Hermione. She rested her hands on her hips and looked at him in a what-is-going-on sort of way.

"Then why are you so happy all of a sudden?"

"Oh now it's wrong for me to be a little happy, is it?"

"Did I say that! You know what I mean," she snapped, getting irritated.

Draco plunged his hands into his pockets and said, "I'm happy because for the first time — I can't believe I'm telling you this — I have real friends; like they actually do care what happens to me or something."

A pang of sympathy washed over Hermione as she realized how much friends really meant to him. He had absolutely no one in the past. His old cronies hadn't really cared what happened to him and his parents were cold and probably didn't show him enough affection, something every child yearns for.

"Oh," she whispered. Draco's smile still hadn't wiped off and she couldn't help grin herself. She felt a tiny bit happy for him. She couldn't imagine life without Harry and Ron, and her parents gave her so much love and affection that she never truly appreciated how lucky she was.

"I'm happy for you too," she said.

"You are?"

"Yes. I never really knew you didn't have true friends who cared for you or help you." Hermione opened the door and said, "But then again, you had no one to teach you how to make friends, to help one another, to love..." Hermione laughed to herself and chuckled, "I'm just rambling on, aren't I? I'll just leave you to your stuff." She closed the door behind her and slapped her forehead. _Oh, Merlin! Did I have to talk so much?_ Hermione shook her head in irritation. Now she really felt like an idiot.

Draco stared at the door; the things she said replaying in his head. He smirked to himself. Something about that girl intrigued him, but he just didn't know what...

"Hermione, did you know eight days have already passed? Days go by so quickly..." sighed Violet. Hermione and Violet were both sitting in her room and watching television.

"Yeah... Scary how time seems to fly by."

"We've got what... less than a week left?" asked Violet, taking up the remote control and lazily flipping the channels.

"Yeah." Hermione reached for her glass of juice, but her hand slipped and the glass fell. "Oh, no!" she exclaimed. Violet looked at her and saw the glass slip from Hermione's outstretched fingers.

It happened in slow motion. She saw the glass fall... fall... and finally hit the floor. Hermione expected to hear a tinkle of broken glass but no sound came. Instead, the glass was intact on the floor, with the juice still inside as if it had been intentionally kept that way.

"What?" Hermione gasped. "How — that's not possible!" She picked up the glass and looked at in every angle. "How could it fall like that?"

Violet shrugged and said, "Who cares? I mean there might be some scientific explanation or something..."

"Yes, but that's just weird!" Hermione touched the glass, searching for a crack but no harm was done.

An hour or so later, Violet left for her room and Hermione went around for a short stroll. She found out there were loads of places that she still hadn't been to. There was a library, much to her joy, a casino, a small movie theatre... She decided to visit the library soon but for now, she needed to go back to her room.

Walking cheerily back, she stopped in her tracks as someone said, "Stupid, muggle boats! I don't know why I came here in the first place!"

Hermione's mouth fell open and her eyes became round as tennis balls. There was a witch, by the sound of the person, on board the ship! She peered around the corner to get a good glimpse of her; something about her was very familiar. She was strolling along, her back towards Hermione. She looked very familiar from behind but she couldn't make out who it was._ Who is she?_ Hermione thought. Who could this witch be?


	13. Draco and Jessie

Jessie walked slowly down the aisle, looking sideways and reading the bold numbers emblazoned on each door. Her eyebrows furrowed as she searched for the right room number. She looked at the paper she was clutching and re-read the number scribbled across.

Suddenly, she stopped. She had found his room. She looked at the paper once again and then at the door in front of her. The room number matched the number written on the paper.

"Finally!" she said, crumpling the paper and throwing it away. Eagerly, she threw back her blonde hair and straightened her clothes. She exhaled excitedly and knocked on the door. While waiting for him to open the door, Jessie constantly fumbled with her blouse and the hem of her skirt, trying to look absolutely perfect.

A moment later Draco swung open the door and found, to his surprise, Jessie waiting outside. Even though Draco didn't like Jessie very much, he couldn't deny that she was looking very pretty. She wore a white blouse, which was cut deeply, a cherry red skirt with matching coloured earrings and sandals, which criss-crossed around her ankles. He blinked several times as if he couldn't really believe it was actually her at his door. "How did you - "

"Draco!" she squealed. Jessie caught Draco in a tight embrace, startling him thoroughly. He stood there motionless, inhaling her scent, until she let go of him. Without asking if she could come in, she went inside and twirled around.

Draco, still surprised with her sudden appearance and the hug, slowly closed the door and turned to look at her. She was beaming at him and he looked at her curiously.

"Surprised to see me?" she said, twirling around once more so that her skirt gracefully whipped around, wrapping around her legs as she stopped. 

"Well… I mean, yes I am," he said awkwardly. "I'm just wondering though, how did you find out where my room is? See, I don't recall giving you my room number…" Draco motioned for Jessie to sit down.

"Aww, that was easy!" Jessie sat down and neatly crossed her legs. "I just asked Alex. I was sure you'd tell him because you are both _such_ good friends…" she said, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously.

Draco smirked. He could tell that Jessie was desperately after him. She was always trying to get his attention... always hanging on every word he said. When he had danced with her the day before yesterday, it was not at all the friendly dance that he had expected; it was... intense, but that didn't bother him at the time. When she had asked him to dance, he dreaded it at first. But once he was on the dance floor, he was lost. Lost in the music, lost in the dance. And how couldn't he be? She was an amazing dancer. However, once the dance was over, he realized how intense it was and that he was supposed to be Hermione's boyfriend.

"What are you smirking for?" asked Jessie. She patted on the sofa, motioning him to sit next to her. Draco obeyed and sat beside her.

"Just thinking about how I seem to have an effect on girls. Must be my devilishly good looks," Draco joked. He was glad that he still attracted girls with ease. Which male wouldn't be? And he couldn't help take advantage of this.

"Yes... it must be," she whispered.

Draco was a little taken aback as she said this, but after a while he smirked again. He looked at her and she looked back. Jessie locked eyes with him, and Draco found himself unable to tear his gaze away. She slowly leaned forward, her heart beating wildly.

Draco couldn't move, his eyes still locked with hers as she continued to move closer. He didn't really know why, but he was eagerly waiting for her to come even closer. He couldn't help look at her pouting lips and his boy instincts were screaming to just kiss her straight out. However, he snapped back to reality as someone banged on the door. Jessie immediately pulled back and looked at the door.

Jessie's head screamed in anger. She was so close! She wanted to yell but she controlled herself. "Who could that be?" she said in a strained voice. Draco shrugged. To his surprise, he was disappointed a little. He shook his head as if to straighten out his thoughts and stood up. Jessie waited for him to open the door. She wanted to see who interrupted her moment.

Hermione peered around the corner, shifting slightly to get a glimpse of the blonde girl. It seemed to her that she was looking for a room. Hermione saw her stop and throw away a piece of paper. As the girl turned to face the door, Hermione saw her face.

Hermione backed away, clapping her hands over her mouth. It couldn't be! Not believing her eyes, she looked again and there stood Jessie, fumbling with her clothes. Hermione's mouth fell open in horror. "Oh no...!" she moaned silently. Jessie was a witch!

Hermione shook her head unbelievingly; she was shocked beyond anything. How could it be! How — But something that had happened a few days back came crashing down on her. The glass of water in the lounge... It couldn't have fallen on its own accord. Jessie, she realized, must have done a non-verbal spell that made it tip over, spilling water all over her! She remembered her face going dark, and the way she said goodbye...

The door opened and Hermione heard Jessie yell 'Draco' excitedly. In another second, Jessie went out of sight as she stepped into his room. She frowned. Why was Jessie going into Malfoy's room? Hermione stepped out from her hiding place and slowly walked towards his room.

She stared at the door. What was going on in there? What was Jessie telling Malfoy? "No, no..." she mumbled, backing away from the door, "Why should I care what's happening inside?" She stopped in her tracks and eyed the door again.

Without warning, she flung herself onto the door, pressing her ear against it. She couldn't hear anything. Oh, why hadn't she brought along one of Fred and George's extendable ears! She couldn't take it, and suddenly, she banged on the door. She wouldn't, not this time, let Jessie have it her way. She was sick of her and didn't want to just sit on the sidelines and watch Jessie do her stuff; it was time to straight things out between them both. Jessie was a witch. Who knows what she could do to get what she wanted?

Hermione was about to pound on the door again, when Malfoy opened the door. He looked at her cautiously as he saw her hand raised, ready to knock furiously. They stood that way for a few seconds; Malfoy looking at her like she was some sort of alien, and Hermione with her hand in the air.

"So," he said, breaking the silence. "Will I know why you were planning on knocking down my door?" Hermione let her hand fall to her side and glared angrily.

"Jessie's in there, right?" she snapped. Malfoy flinched as she pointed her finger towards his room. Before he could answer, Jessie walked into view and stood next to him, lazily resting her arm on his shoulder. He breathed in her perfume; she smelled beautiful.

"Hey, Hermione. What are you doing here?" asked Jessie, smirking. Hermione's insides burned with anger. How she wished to wipe that smirk off her face.

What should she do? Expose her? Tell her that she was a witch too? Hermione looked at Malfoy and then to Jessie, thinking furiously.

"Can't speak?" said Jessie, laughing slightly.

Hermione looked at her and smiled. She had come up with an idea. She would let Jessie be oblivious to what she had found out. Since Jessie had her fun, Hermione was willing to give her what she deserved. It was Hermione's turn to have some fun.

"Oh, I can talk," Hermione said sweetly. She looked at Malfoy who was looking at Jessie. His expression was dazed and she saw that he was looking at Jessie like some lovesick puppy. Hermione frowned and said slowly, "Mal — Draco?" Malfoy tore his gaze away from Jessie and looked at Hermione, who was looking at him curiously.

"W-what?" he said. His mind was elsewhere. All his thoughts were on Jessie and how he wanted Granger to go away.

He looked back at Jessie. He suddenly noticed how gorgeous she was. Her cherry red lips inviting as ever and her perfume enticing. All thoughts of pretending to be Hermione's boyfriend were wiped from his mind. All he wanted was to be alone with Jessie.

Hermione waited impatiently for him to say something but all he did was stare at Jessie affectionately. "Are you alright?" she asked incredulously. She didn't know why he was suddenly looking at Jessie as if he loved her. What had happened in there?

"Yeah," he said waving his hand, dismissing her question, "Anyway, I've got some things to discuss with...Jessie," he said, wrapping an arm around Jessie's waist, who responded by chuckling slightly.

Hermione looked at both of them in horror. "What do you mean!" she snapped. Had he forgotten that he was her pretend boyfriend? Did he want to stop? If so, couldn't he tell her first so that this whole situation wouldn't be so awkward? Hermione had to find out; she wasn't the type of girl to only know half of what was going on.

"It means, he wants to talk to me in private," retorted Jessie, smiling evilly at Hermione.

"Mal — I mean, Draco, what's going on!" demanded Hermione.

Malfoy looked at her indifferently and answered, "I just want to be alone with her." With that, he pulled Jessie behind him and closed the door.

Hermione stared at the door, tears brimming in her eyes, blurring her vision. She was hurt. She couldn't believe what had just happened. He had just shunned her aside as if she were nothing. Hermione felt like going into a corner and start crying but she didn't. She couldn't let herself break down. She was after all Hermione Granger, a Gryffindor! She was strong and brave... she wouldn't let a boy, especially Draco Malfoy, break her.

"You haven't changed after all," she whispered bitterly. She furiously wiped away the tears that brimmed her eyes and walked to her room. She had had enough. Enough of _him._

Draco and Jessie continued to stare at each other after he had closed the door.

"So," Jessie said coyly, twisting her hair around her finger, "What is it that you want to discuss?" She moved a little closer to him, not breaking the eye contact.

"Not exactly discuss..." he said as she moved even closer. He inhaled her beautifully scented perfume and smirked. He put a hand on her waist and whispered, "I was thinking about something else..."

"And that would be?" she whispered back, leaning in so that their lips were inches apart. She was waiting eagerly for what was going to happen.

She saw him lean in for a kiss but suddenly pulled away. Jessie frowned. She sniffed her shoulder as if to check that her perfume was still there and that she wasn't smelling horrible. And then she heard it, a small knock on the door.

Jessie could have screamed out in frustration. She had been interrupted twice! If it was that stupid Muggle, Hermione, she would literally curse her into oblivion!

Jessie swung open the door, ready to burst out but contained herself as she saw Roger standing outside. He looked at her curiously and said, "Jessie? What are you doing here?" Jessie squeaked and looked behind at Draco who was looking at her dreamily.

"Just hold on a moment, will you?" she said hurriedly. She closed the door and quickly walked over to Draco. She lightly slapped his face several times and said anxiously, "Just act like yourself, will you?"

Draco closed his eyes and shook his head. Once he opened them, he saw Jessie opening the door and hurriedly walking past Roger who looked at her in disbelief.

"What's going on?" asked Roger, stepping into his room.

Draco looked at Roger in confusion. He didn't know what had come over him. He couldn't believe that he actually wanted to kiss Jessie so badly. He thought it best not to tell Roger what had really happened as he, himself, didn't really understand his actions.

"Nothing," Draco responded, "Nothing interesting."

Hermione was sitting outside on her hammock, her head swimming in thoughts of what had happened a few moments ago. First she found out that Jessie was a witch, then Malfoy became suddenly head over heels with Jessie.

She looked out towards the ocean; the water sparkling under the sun. She shouldn't have expected less from a Malfoy. What was she thinking all this time! If he suddenly wanted to be with Jessie, it was fine with her. But couldn't he have chosen someone better? She got angry at this thought. It was Jessie who had left her drowning; it was Jessie who had spilt the glass of water on her when she had done absolutely nothing. Hermione bit her lip thoughtfully. She couldn't let Jessie get away with everything; it was time for her to have some fun of her own.

Hermione got off the hammock and quickly went inside. The thought of getting even with Jessie excited her. She felt a mischievous side take over her, something she hadn't felt since being at Hogwarts. She paced up and down her room, thinking. She knew it would be stupid to go looking for Jessie. She would have her little fun when they both came across by chance, which would happen soon, she knew.

She stuffed her wand in her jeans and went to the main deck. Hermione came here almost every  
day to check what was happening. Events that were going to be held and so on, would always be posted here, a great place for her to know what was going on.

Once there, Hermione found Bob helping out an old lady. Once the lady had left, Hermione walked up to him.

"Hey...I see you're doing your job pretty well," Hermione said brightly.

Bob smiled and replied, "Thanks... I guess I do it well because I like my job a lot."

"Then you'll have no problem at all. It's best to do what you like."

Bob chuckled and said, "So how may I help you?" They both walked towards the railing, the wind blowing through their hair.

"Any new events happening soon?" asked Hermione, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I like to be updated." 

Bob laughed, "I can see. Well if you checked your travel plan, you would know that we'll have a stop over tomorrow."

Hermione lay her hands and on her hips and said, "Of course I know! I was talking about other events, Bob. So what time will we reach the port?"

"We'll reach Singapore at around nine in the morning, so everyone can spend a whole day there."

Hermione nodded. She had never been to this side of the world and was eager to go on the tour and learn about this country.

Draco got ready much earlier, not wanting to make the mistake of being late once again. He made his way to 'Cheers' and found his new set of friends already there.

Draco had the time of his life. They talked, drank and laughed throughout the night, enjoying each other's company. They talked about everything, which was a little uncomfortable for Draco in the beginning. Never in his life had he talked to anyone about his fears and what he had gone through. Once he felt at ease, however; he told them everything, only leaving out the wizarding world.

"Woah! Look at the time!" Roger exclaimed, looking at his watch. "It's twelve! We better call it a night if we want to go on the tour tomorrow."

"Right. I'll see you guys tomorrow," said Draco. The guys nodded and they all started to gather their stuff.

"Jessie? Laura? What are you girls doing here?" said Alex suddenly, looking at the two girls who had appeared.

"Oh, hey you guys! What a surprise! Laura and I were just talking. Funny how we didn't see you guys sitting here," said Jessie, catching Draco's eye, who quickly looked away. He didn't know what had caused him to behave that way with her before, and didn't want to know why.

"Anyway, see you," said Draco. He quickly left Cheers and started to make his way towards his room.

"Hey! Draco! Wait up!" yelled someone from behind. He whipped around and saw Jessie running up to him. She put a hand on his arm and said, "I'll walk with you. It's nice to have some company rather than walking alone, don't you think?" she asked, smiling.

She came closer and once again Draco's mind was wiped of all thoughts. Her beautifully scented perfume filled his nostrils and somehow she suddenly looked more inviting.

Draco smirked and offered his arm to her. "Shall we?"

Jessie smiled flirtatiously and took his arm in hers. "Let's go," she whispered and they both made their way towards his room. Jessie smirked to herself, enjoying the fact that she had the most gorgeous male beside her. Soon, she thought, he would truly believe that he loved her. Everything was going smoothly, according to the plan.


	14. Mixed Emotions and Confused Feelings

Hermione stretched luxuriously on her bed before getting up and slipping on her shoes. It was past midnight but she was still up watching movies and nibbling on snacks; it always felt good staying up till late, watching romantic movies and having a bucket of ice cream in front of you. She grabbed the remote control, which was lying on the bed, and hit the pause button. She needed to go outside and get some ice from the icemaker for her glass of juice.

She quickly pocketed her key-card and went out. She was watching 'A Walk To Remember' and was dying to get back to her room to watch the rest of it; she had paused the movie on the most interesting part. She had immediately fallen in love with the main character, Landon Carter who was, in Hermione's opinion, the perfect boyfriend. _Why couldn't all the boys in the world be like him?_

Once she had found the room where the icemaker was, she quickly put in some coin, got the ice and dashed out; not wasting another minute to get back to her movie.

Hermione would never forget what she saw that night. No matter how much she tried to get rid of it from her head, it always came back as if the scene was just waiting to be played. She rubbed her eyes, not believing what she was seeing, but the sight in front of her didn't disappear. Malfoy and Jessie were outside his room, snogging as if there was no tomorrow. Hermione couldn't move; she stood rooted to her spot, staring.

Hands were roaming, their kisses were getting more desperate and all Hermione did was look at them with her mouth open in horror. She couldn't explain how she felt at that moment. If Malfoy didn't matter to her that much, then why did she feel her heart break into pieces? Why did her tears threaten to fall?

Draco and Jessie continued their snogging session, not even once looking up to glance at their intruder, who was furiously shaking off her tears and making her way towards them. Finally, however, they broke apart, feeling the presence of another person nearby. Jessie turned around and smiled to herself as she saw Hermione walking towards the both of them.

"Oh, Hermione…Oh," she said, looking at her in mock surprise. She looked at Draco and then back at Hermione. "Oh, this must be such a shock for you! Me and Draco like this…" she said, pretending her best to look sorry and embarrassed. Draco, on the other hand, didn't even look at Hermione; his whole attention was on Jessie. He kept whispering something in her ear, making her smirk.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Hermione replied blank-faced, "Draco and I aren't together anymore." Hermione tried her best not to look at Malfoy who had snuggled his head in Jessie's neck. She had never in her life witnessed such a scene and had no idea how to react.

Jessie tried to hide her happiness but failed. "Oh, you have? Well then, this isn't so discomforting after all!" 

"No it isn't," Hermione said indifferently. She looked away and fixed her eyes on her door. Before she went into her room, she said, "But I suggest you stop pretending like who have no idea what's going on. You're absolutely terrible at it. And if you want to continue your session with Draco here, then I advise you to go into his room or something." Hermione turned to glare at both of them and went inside her room, not wanting to listen to Jessie's retort.

Draco and Jessie stood still for a second or two, Hermione's words still ringing in their ears. But then slowly, Draco wrapped an arm around Jessie's waist and pulled her closer. Jessie turned around and curled her arms around his neck.

"Let's call it a night, Draco. We won't be able to get up tomorrow," she whispered. Draco leaned in and kissed her. "Alright then," he whispered as he pulled away. She bit her lip, smiled coyly and walked away, leaving Draco dazed next to his door.

Once back in his room, he leaned against the door, his actions whirring through his head. He slid down to the floor, his hands clenching on to a fistful of his hair. What was wrong with him? His head pounded furiously as he tried to figure out what had made him act like that towards Jessie. When he was with her, he felt that he really did love her, but when she left… he didn't understand why he had felt like that in the first place. He closed his eyes as he remembered Hermione's face. So they were no longer pretending anymore, it was all over. He clenched his hands in his hair with more power, ignoring the pain. Was Hermione affected by what she had witnessed? Had he once again hurt her? He brought his knees towards his head. Maybe he really did love Jessie. Maybe that was why he had acted that way with her, his brain told him. But his heart was saying something else; he knew it was beating for another person. But the heart is a silly thing. Should he listen to what his head told him or his heart?

Hermione lay still on the hammock, looking up at the stars that covered the night sky. How was she feeling? Angry? Sad? Jealous? She couldn't understand the state of her heart. What she had seen had definitely affected her, but why? She looked at Malfoy's balcony. She couldn't understand his sudden change in behaviour. Hadn't he said that she was too much like Pansy? _But why should that matter? He only goes for looks_, she reminded herself. But Jessie wasn't that pretty, was she? Hermione sighed and looked up back towards the sky. Could Jessie be in there right now? Hermione shuddered to think of what might be happening inside.

"You wait Jessie," she whispered. "You pretend that you have no idea what's on do, do you? Well, we'll see how you react when I start to have my little fun."

Hermione met Violet early next morning in the breakfast lounge. There was still another half an hour before they reached the Singapore Port, so they decided to have a quick breakfast and then head towards the main deck. Much to Hermione's resentment and Violet's surprise, Draco and Jessie entered together arm in arm, Jesse looking absolutely delighted and Draco, to Hermione's astonishment, looking very gloomy.

"Why are their arms entwined like that!" Violet yelped, looking at Hermione for an answer. Hermione looked away from them as they both took their seats, their table far away from theirs. 

"Hermione!" Violet said urgently, "Why are they both sitting together?"

"They're going out now, that's why," Hermione replied silently, trying to avoid Violet's gaze.

"W-what?" Violet sputtered. "Going out…? You can't be serious!"

"Oh, I'm serious," Hermione said. She looked at Violet who was looking absolutely stunned.

"But Draco would never do such a thing! I'm sure he likes you; I could see it in his eyes. You both are just meant to be together," Violet said irritated.

"No we weren't, Violet!" Hermione said, getting angry and upset. "We weren't meant to be! If we were, he wouldn't go all puppy-eyed around her, he wouldn't want to be alone with her, and last of all, he wouldn't want to kiss her!" Hermione tried not to choke while she said the last sentence. Violet leaned back on her chair, her hands flying to her mouth.

"They kissed? Hermione… what… it can't be…"

"I was stunned too. They were kissing in front of his door, their hands everywhere. I'm sure she ended up in his room." Hermione took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling because fresh tears were forming. "I didn't know what to do or say," she choked.

Violet got up and kneeled in front of Hermione, taking her hands in hers. Her friend looked at her as if she didn't know what to do with herself. "Hermione, it's okay. It's okay." With that she flung her arms around Hermione and pulled her into a tight embrace. Hermione hugged her back, all her emotions let out on this gesture, and finally letting her tears stream down her face.

When Violet pulled away, she looked at Hermione with an expression of sympathy as she saw her feverishly wipe away her tears. Hermione laughed bitterly, choking at the same time. "I'm not crying because I see him with her or because I liked him," Hermione said, giving up on wiping her tears. "Tears are falling because I'm just plain silly!" she said boldly, "And because I'm hurt," she added with a stung tone, "Hurt because of the way he acted in front of me. He just shunned me away like I don't exist. Like… like I'm dirt!" Tears continued to fall down her face but she didn't do anything about it.

"But you aren't dirt, Hermione. There has to be some kind of explanation to his behaviour," Violet said sternly, "Tell me everything."

So Hermione spent the next ten minutes telling Violet everything, what Draco and Jessie had said and what they both had done. "He can't possibly be in love with her. It's too sudden. Love can't happen so quickly," Violet said after she listened to Hermione.

"Then explain the kissing, Violet. I told you they were kissing as if it was illegal to stop!" Hermione glanced at Malfoy, who chose that moment to look at her too. She quickly looked away, cursing her stupid heart as it thudded against her chest.

"I wonder why he's looking so gloomy. He looks like he doesn't want to be with her," whispered Violet as she curiously looked at both of them.

"It's probably because he can't kiss her senseless in front of everyone," Hermione replied. She got up and said, "It's time we get going. We're probably seconds away from the port,"

Plenty of people gathered on the main deck as the ship docked. Hermione, Violet and the guys all stood together, looking out towards the land. Hermione's eyes twinkled in delight as she saw the place. Finally she was in Singapore, a place she had never been and was eager to learn all about it. Together, they all made their way down the wooden planks until they were standing on firm ground. They all stood still for a moment, taking in the scenery and inhaling the fresh air that was Singapore.

"It's a beautiful day," Roger said, looking up at the clear sky. "Well come on then! We have to find an empty tour bus since we're all going together."

They all looked for an empty tour bus but failed at finding one. 'There has to be one," Hermione said, "It's pretty disorganised if you ask me."

But before anyone could say anything, a man walked up to them and said, "I take you!" He pointed to himself and said, "I take you on tour! Come, come, follow!" The man desperately made gestures to follow him and kept saying, "Come, come. I take you on the best tour!" They all looked at each other, smiled and followed him silently.

"I do like his accent," Violet giggled, "I think I'm going to like this tour." They finally reached the mini-bus and they all went inside, everyone taking their own seat next to the window.

"Wait here. Five more people can fit," said the man and with that, he hurried away, looking for people who needed a ride.

"You know, I feel a little weird. I keep on having the sensation that I'm going up and down on the waves," Hermione said, closing her eyes and massaging her head, feeling a bit nauseated.

"Oh it happens when you're on a boat for too long," Alex laughed, "It'll wear off, don't worry. I bet everyone's feeling the same way."

Hermione nodded and looked out the window. It was a little weird to be in a whole different place with a completely different set of friends. She had always been with Harry and Ron, the three of them always exploring new places. How she wished that they were both with her now! But if they had come along with her, would Violet and her be friends? She was shaken out of her thoughts as the man climbed back into the bus saying, "Two more people came. We can leave now."

Hermione groaned to herself as she saw her two most hated people climb in. Why was she always stuck with one of them? They both stood together and looked around.

"How wonderful! We get to go on tour with all our friends!" exclaimed Jessie happily. "But," she said, her face darkening, "There aren't any two-seaters available. Draco and I want to sit together. You all can't have two seats to yourselves!"

"So just sit next to one of us, Jessie. Everyone wanted to sit next to the window," Violet said. She grabbed Jessie's arm and pulled her down next to her. "There you go! You've found a seat. Draco, why don't you go sit next to someone else?" Violet glared at him and then looked at Hermione, who was looking outside as if she had spotted something very interesting. Draco got the hint and sat himself next to Hermione. He wanted to talk to her anyway, so this would be a good time to do it.

"Hello, everybody!" said the man. He was sitting on the driver's seat and speaking through a mike. "My name is Puvan and I am going to be your tour guide for today. Our first stop is Jurong BirdPark, which is a one and a half hours from here."

The bus took off and everybody gazed out the window, looking at the people passing by and the sights. After a while however, a talk broke out and everyone was either playing a game or talking and laughing. Hermione was the only one who didn't participate. She was so uncomfortable with Malfoy sitting nearby that all she did was stare out the window, hoping desperately that he wouldn't talk to her.

Draco didn't know what to say to her. She had edged away from him as much as possible and was only staring outside. "Granger…" Draco whispered, nudging her gently. She didn't look at him. All she did was shrug his hand off. "Granger…we need to talk," he said once again.

She furiously turned around and spat, "There's nothing to talk about! I don't want to hear you! I don't want to see your face ever again, so just please go away!" She had said it so that no one could hear her except Malfoy, hoping she had sounded as vehement as possible.

Draco didn't know how he felt when she had said the last sentence. But he didn't move. He wanted to let her know what was going through his head. He needed to know how she felt.

"I'm not going anywhere until we've talked. Granger - "

"It's Hermione!" she said shrilly, "It's Hermione, not Granger!" She sighed deeply and calmed herself. When she had regained her composure, she said, "I don't want to talk to you. There's nothing to talk about. Just please go away!" She looked away, but not before looking at Malfoy whose expression was that of hurt and sadness. But why? Why does he look sorry?

Draco got up silently and went and sat next to Tom. His heart pounded against his chest as her words rang in his head. _I don't want to see your face ever again, so just please go away!_ He closed his eyes and opened them slowly. He spared a glance at Jessie, who had been looking at him the whole time. When she saw him look her way, she winked and smiled lovingly. He smiled back at her weakly and looked away. Hermione's angry face was vivid in his mind; she had given him that look many times when they were in school…He looked at the back of her head and thought, _I have to talk to her. She has to know I didn't mean to hurt her._

"We have reached Jurong BirdPark," said the man, pulling the bus to a stop.

"Puvan, are there many different kinds of birds in the park? Is it the biggest bird park?" Hermione asked excitedly as she slung her bag around her shoulder. Draco rolled his eyes but smiled at her curiosity at the same time. She still wanted to learn, to know everything. She hadn't changed at all unlike him.

"Jurong BirdPark is home to 8,000 birds from more than six hundred species. It is the largest bird park in the Asia Pacific."

"Did you hear that, Violet?" Hermione said, absolutely delighted.

"Yes, yes. I heard," Violet replied laughing at her friend's happiness.

"I give you three hours. I will wait here. You come back here, okay?" Puvan said, giving them a thumbs up.

"Okay!" they said together, and got off the bus. Draco however, held Violet back by holding onto her arm. She looked at him curiously. "Violet, I need to talk to Hermione. Will you take the others ahead?"

"Finally you're on first name basis with her! What exactly do you want to tell - "

"Nothing. I just want to - "

"Alright, alright," Violet said, putting her hands up in surrender, "I won't ask. I'll take the others ahead." She ran forward to catch up with the rest. She urged them to go on, telling them that three hours would go by quickly if they didn't get a move on. Hermione happily followed when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She slowly turned around to see Draco, looking at her intently.

"Hermione, I need to talk to you," he said, looking sincerely at her.

She took his hand off and said, "I don't want to listen to what you've got to say." She looked at her friends who were already far off. She was just about to run to them when Draco took her wrist and turned her around.

"Just hear me out! Stop being so stubborn," he said, still holding onto her wrist. Hermione looked over her shoulder and saw that her friends were out of sight. She sighed and looked back at him. "What, Draco? What do you want to talk about!" she yelled.

"About my behaviour! About what I did!" Draco yelled back, "I don't know why I did it. I didn't mean to hurt you!"

"I don't care. I don't care what you do or say to me. You'll never change!" Hermione angrily snapped, "Are you trying to convince me that you have no idea why you did all that in front of me!" 

"Yes! I don't know why! You've got to believe me," Draco said, his hand leaving her wrist and instead fisting it in his hair in frustration. He was so confused and angry with himself that he didn't know how to explain his actions to her.

"Sorry Draco, but you haven't given me a proper reason to believe you," she said flatly. He closed his eyes and turned his back on her. Why should she believe him if he, himself, didn't believe his true reason for his actions. All he knew was that he didn't intend on it happening. He felt a small hand on his shoulder, bringing him back to his surroundings.

"Look Draco, forget it. You can do what you want. After all our relationship was all a pretence. You can kiss her as much as you want, I don't mind. I'm just hurt by the way you acted with her in front of me; like I don't exist."

"But that's just it! I didn't mean to," Draco said enraged. 

"Whatever your reason, I don't want to hear it," she said sternly. "There's no use in arguing about this right now. I came here to enjoy myself and I'm not going to let this ruin today." She took his hand in hers and pulled him behind her. "Since the others have gone ahead, you and I just have to go around together because it's stupid to go our separate ways," she said defiantly, "We're going to have a good time and forget this argument."

Draco looked at her hand which was holding onto his in surprise. A feeling of extreme happiness and relief was bursting through his chest. Was it because they had finally ended their argument, or because she was holding his hand? He shrugged and smiled, tightening his grip on her hand, not knowing that he had caused her cheeks to flush and her heart to beat more faster.


	15. Amorodor

Bottom of Form

"Oh, look at that beautiful bird! What is it called? A Yellowleg! What an interesting name… Oh just look at that one! And this one!" Hermione was jumping about, pointing to every single bird in delight. Draco, on the other hand, rolled his eyes and grumbled to himself. Birds weren't that exciting to him, but for Hermione… she was absolutely thrilled. For the past half an hour, Draco had to endure her non-stop chattering about how much she knew about each bird and how bad she felt seeing them cooped up in a cage.

"For the 10th time woman, those birds are perfectly happy in that cage you call 'bird jail'!" Draco said wearily, "If they were free, then there's more chance of them being killed by bigger birds and anyway, they all seem to be twittering happily."

Hermione eyed a small bird sitting unhappily in a corner and huffed, "I'll turn you into a bird and stuff you into a cage someday. Then we'll see how you feel."

So their conversation went on this way, neither of them realizing that their discussion hadn't turned into a heated argument and weren't trying to kill the other off. It wasn't a real conversation but they were talking to each other in a civilized manner, and that was definitely saying something.

In the beginning, Hermione desperately tried to look for her friends. In all honesty, she had been very uncomfortable with being alone with Draco, but after a while it wasn't that bad. He hadn't insulted her so far and hadn't acted like a complete idiot.

Draco had also felt uncomfortable with being around her and not teasing her in some kind of way. He had thought that Violet and the others would come back for them in a short while, but they didn't so he had to just live with the fact that he would have to be stuck with Hermione for three consecutive hours.

"Draco, look!" Hermione said, pointing to a man who had a bird on his shoulder while another man took a picture of him. "Let's go and take a picture with a bird on our shoulders." Draco looked at Hermione as if he had something sour in his mouth.

"I'm not taking pictures with some unknown bird on me. Do I look like a tree to you?"

"Don't tell me your scared of a small bird," Hermione laughed incredulously.

Draco scowled and snapped, "I am not!"

"Prove it," she said challengingly with gleam in her eye.

"I don't want to. You can let the bird sit on your shoulder, but it's coming nowhere near mine," he said smoothly. He brushed his left shoulder with his hand, making clear that no living creature was to sit and dirty his shoulder.

"Are you afraid of chickens too?" Hermione smiled innocently. She knew very well how much Draco disliked birds. After the incident with Buckbeak, he had probably never gone near enough for a bird to squawk at him.

"Just shut up, Granger."

Hermione cocked her head to one side and said, "Back to last names, Malfoy?" He looked at her warningly and was about to retort back when Hermione said, "Look…let's make a deal. You let that bird sit on your shoulder for a few seconds, and I'll buy you a nice, cold drink to wear off the heat." Draco was just about to tell her off for suggesting such a thing, when suddenly he felt how hot and thirsty he was. He really did want a cold drink to cool him down.

He eyed the bird and sighed heavily, "Alright, fine." He saw the smug grin appear on her face as she walked towards the man and yelled after her, "I'm not doing it to prove I'm not scared to you, because I'm not! I'm doing it for the free refreshment."

Hermione opened her bag and rummaged around in it until she found her camera. Smiling, she went up to the man and said, "Hi, could we have a picture with that parrot on our shoulder?" The man nodded and asked her to give the camera to him. He then took the bird off his shoulder and placed it on Hermione's. 

Draco watched Hermione chuckle slightly as the bird was placed on her. He saw the bird's claws cling on to her shoulder and shuddered involuntarily. Did it hurt?

"Smile!" the man said, looking through the camera. Hermione, who was already smiling, waited for him to take the picture.

"There! Now do you want to take a picture with Sonu too, young man? That's the parrot's name you know," he said, taking the bird off Hermione's shoulder. 

Draco gave him a short nod and said, "Yes I do." He looked over at Hermione and sneered, "I better get that free refreshment."

"I don't go back on my word you know," Hermione snapped, "Just do it without talking so much."

As the man placed Sonu on his shoulder, Draco whispered anxiously, "This bird doesn't bite, does it?"

"No, no! Not to worry. It will get over in a flash," he whispered back. He gave him a wink and backed away with the camera. Draco felt the bird's claw slightly pinch his shoulder. It wasn't that bad; Sonu's claws didn't hurt at all!

"Alright, smile now!"

Draco tried his best to smile, but couldn't. How could he smile when he didn't want to? He wasn't a great poser and he certainly couldn't smile when someone told him to.

"Come on, smile now. No need to be shy," said the man.

"Smile, Draco. Really, there is no need to feel shy about smiling," Hermione said, resting her hands on her hips and looking at Draco as if he had done something wrong.

"I am not shy!" Draco said angrily. Suddenly, he felt something tickling his ear and realized that the bird was nibbling it! "Oh, no, no…I think you better get this thing off me," Draco said nervously. He tried to shake off the bird, but the more he tried, the more Sonu clung on.

"Just relax. Sonu is just playing. He won't hurt you," the man said, desperately trying to take the picture at the right time.

"What's taking you? Just take the bloody picture!" Draco yelled angrily. This seemed to agitate Sonu more, and he started to climb up Draco's bare neck. Draco shrieked as he felt Sonu trying to climb onto his head, pecking him gently here and there. "Get this bird off me! It wants to peck me to death!"

The man waited for a second longer and took a picture. He then hurried over to Draco and took Sonu away from him. "There. No need to be afraid," the man chuckled. He handed the camera to him and walked away, humming to himself quietly. Hermione walked up to Draco and smiled.

"How do you feel after mastering your fears?" Hermione asked.

"My fears? I don't have any fears," Draco scoffed. "And why do you think I fear birds?"

"Because of what happened in our third year. Does a Hippogriff ring a bell?"

"I… what… that's nonsense! Malfoy's do not fear a single living creature," he emphasized.

"Then some Malfoy you are," Hermione laughed, "Oh and did you know you shriek like a girl?" She turned around and started to look for a refreshment stand.

"I do not!" he snarled. "I'd like to see how you would react if that bird tried to claw its way up your neck."

"Cool down your temper and follow me. I owe you a drink, remember?"

Draco walked beside her and said, "Yes I do. Who would want to forget something like that?"

Hermione handed a soft drink to Draco and sat down on a chair opposite to him. "There you go," Hermione said, "As I promised."

Draco took the drink from her and said, "And it's good you kept it." He fiddled with opener and tried to tweak it open. Unfortunately, the opener broke half-way. Draco looked at the piece of broken metal and shrugged. He handed his soft drink to Hermione and said, "Go get another one. This one's broken."

"I am not getting another one! What do I look like? A vending machine?" Hermione asked scandalized. She snatched the drink from him and tried to open the rest of the top, mumbling, "It's full to the brim and you want me to get another one. I mean all you have to do is -" And the rest of top came off.

"Woah, you're pretty strong," Draco said, surprised.

"Yeah, well…" Hermione said, embarrassed. She gave the drink back to Draco and sipped her own. She frowned and pursed her lips before saying, "Are you that spoilt, Draco? I mean do you have that much money?"

"I don't know what's so spoilt of getting another drink. And yes Hermione, I have a lot of money," Draco said casually. Hermione nodded slowly, sipping her drink and thinking of a way for Draco to realize the value of money. She couldn't believe how casual he was when it came to that topic. It seemed that he believed that money grew on trees. 

"Hand me your wallet," she said suddenly, holding out her hand.

"My wallet? Why? Do you want to steal some money from me?" Draco said jokingly, "If you were that broke, why did you buy the drinks?"

"Haha, so funny," Hermione laughed sarcastically, "Now just hand me your wallet." Draco sighed heavily and reached for his back-pocket where he always kept his wallet.

He gave it to her and asked, "What are you going to do? A magic trick?" He laughed. Hermione rolled her eyes and took out some money. She then closed his wallet and put it in her bag.

"What do you think -?"

"This," she said, holding up the money she took out in front of him, "is all what we're going to use today." She waved it in front of him as if to tease him.

Draco gulped down his drink and laughed, "You're mental. You can't be serious." Hermione's eyebrows shot up and she looked at him sternly.

"Do I look like I'm joking to you?" Hermione demanded. She sighed and grabbed his hand. She put the money on his palm and said, "This is enough money to survive for another two and half hours."

"What!" asked Draco, flabbergasted. "I'm not playing one of your stupid games, so just hand me my wallet."

"Just play this stupid game," she said. Draco grumbled and looked at the money in his hand as if it were all he had left, while Hermione took out the map of the park she had got from the entrance. Her eyes scanned through when something interesting caught her eye.

"There's going to be a penguin parade! It says here. See," she said, flattening out the map on the table and pointing to where it said, 'Don't miss the Penguin Parade! Shows every 12 pm and 5 pm.'

She looked up at Draco, who looked back at her in horror. "What?" she asked.

"I don't want to see penguins!" he moaned. "Nope," he said in a more serious voice, "We're not going to see penguins parade around the place." He crossed his arms in front of his chest and said, "You can't make me."

Hermione had to laugh. He was acting like a small boy whose mother had told him that he was not allowed to go out and play. "Come on. We have to see these little creatures that look like they've worn tuxedoes!"

He gave her an I-don't- care-look and said, "So? I still don't want to see them. You go alone and see your precious penguins."

Hermione stood up and narrowed her eyes at him. "Fine. I will go alone. I don't know why you came on this tour if you don't want to see anything!" she said viciously. She slung her bag around her and angrily stormed away.

Draco groaned to himself. _Women_, he thought to himself, _why do they all have to be so touchy!_ He stood up and gloomily walked towards Hermione. "Hold on," he voiced out. Hermione didn't look back but walked more slowly so that he could catch up with her.

"Alright, alright. I'll come!" he said rather unhappily. "But then we get to do what I want afterwards."

"Deal," Hermione agreed. "I knew you actually wanted to see the penguins," Hermione said confidently. "You just have too much pride to admit it. You probably think it's not manly enough or something."

"You wish," Draco said. He then said in a tone so that she couldn't hear, "You had my wallet. I wasn't going to let you run away with it."

"What was that?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Oh, nothing," Draco replied. "Nothing at all."

Draco and Hermione walked away from the 'Penguin Parade', both pondering over what they had seen.

"It wasn't that great, you know," Draco said, breaking the silence between them.

"Yes, I agree," Hermione responded immediately. "It wasn't what I expected." She thought that the penguins would march around outside, but unfortunately the whole event was inside an aquarium. All they saw was many of them gliding through the water and performing small tricks with a man who had got inside.

"Finally, we agree on something," Draco grinned. "I told you it would be a waste of time."

"Okay, okay. I think I get the point," Hermione grumbled with an irritated tone. She spared a sideways glance at him and saw him happily smiling to himself. She quickly looked away. How she wanted to wipe that silly grin off his face. Draco turned and stopped to watch some birds fly around in their space. His back was towards Hermione, so she took the chance to make faces at him. She stuck out her tongue and made angry faces; all of these gestures towards Draco's back.

"You know, I wonder why a crow is called a 'crow'." Draco asked suddenly, turning around to face her. In the middle of sticking her tongue out at him, Hermione quickly tried to regain her self, but because it was so sudden, she bit her tongue by mistake.

"Ow…" Hermione whimpered. She clamped her hand over her mouth and mentally kicked herself for being so immature. There was no other way but to wait for the pain to wear off, so she put her free hand up to indicate Draco not to ask her anything for a moment.

Draco did not get the hint however, and asked, "Are you going to throw up? Because if you are, go the bathroom or something. It'll stink here."

Hermione closed her eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. "I bit my tongue by accident, you little ferret," she said in a muffled tone; she was trying her best not to talk by using her tongue.

"Right," Draco said, not really understanding a word that had come out of her mouth. "So do you know why?" he asked again. Hermione gave him a look that clearly said, 'You are hopeless' and walked on quietly, shaking her head. Draco looked at her in confusion and shrugged; women!

Violet and the boys happily looked around, enjoying the feeling of being together and finally getting a break from the cruise. Jessie however, followed them gloomily. It infuriated her to think that her beloved Draco was alone with Hermione. She was the one who was supposed to be with him right now, not that good for nothing Muggle! Jessie gritted her teeth at this thought; she had to go find him. She breathed in and calmed herself before going up to Violet and saying, "I've got to the bathroom. You guys go ahead, I'll catch up." Violet looked at her curiously but nodded her head slowly in the end, and went on with the boys.

Jessie pretended to go the bathroom, but once she saw her friends look the other way, she ran out of sight. It would be easy to find them. Since this park was not a maze-like place, all she had to do was go back the way she came until she bumped into them.

It was not long before she saw Draco and Hermione walking together, looking at the birds and taking pictures. To her, it looked like they were having a good time. They were both laughing and talking as if what had happened the other night had only been a dream. She didn't think that Hermione would forgive him so easily.

Jessie clenched her fists in anger as she saw Draco gently take off a leaf that had got stuck in Hermione's hair, and watched as Hermione smiled in embarrassment. She couldn't take any of this anymore, so she furiously opened her bag and rummaged around until she took out a small crystal, perfume bottle with liquid like wine inside.

Jessie knew that this was no ordinary perfume; in fact, it was a love perfume called 'Amorodor'. This special perfume allowed the wielder to attract anyone from the opposite sex. As long as he or she is close enough to their desired individual, that someone immediately gives in to the seductive scent and falls in love. But the minute the scent is gone, the person goes back to their normal state. Jessie could only use this when the other guys weren't around her for fear of getting too near them by mistake and allowing them to fall in love with her in that moment.

She slowly unscrewed the top of the bottle and sprayed the love perfume on her. Then, she tossed back her hair, straightened her clothes and walked towards the both of them. She couldn't wait to have it her way with Draco and see the look on Hermione's face as once again, would see Draco fall head over heels over her.

"Woah, hold on," Draco exclaimed, interrupting Hermione mid-way through one of her explanations.

"What?" she asked, a little bit annoyed. Draco reached out his hand towards Hermione's head, making her exclaim in surprise, "What are you doing!" He ignored her and gently took off a leaf that entangled itself within her frizzy hair.

"A leaf," he whispered gently, letting it fall to the ground.

"Oh," she said. She smiled in embarrassment and chuckled, "Thanks." Her smile turned into a dark scowl as she saw Jessie walking towards them. Hermione looked at Draco to see what his reactions were and saw that he was looking over her shoulder as if he had spotted some interesting bird.

Draco tried his best not to look at Jessie. He was afraid of his actions if she came too close, or looked into her eyes.

Hermione looked at Jessie's attire in disgust. She was wearing a short, jean skirt with a yellow tube top that was much too tight for her and blue sandals. Hermione, on the other hand, was a wearing a pair of baggy shorts, a loose sleeveless top and tennis shoes. Hermione knew it was always good to dress comfortably during tours, and what Jessie was wearing looked nowhere near comfortable.

"Hi, you guys!" Jessie said cheerily. Neither Draco nor Hermione said anything. They both looked someplace else, avoiding Jessie's stare as much as possible. Jessie didn't seem to care; all she wanted to do was to get Draco's attention.

"Hello, Draco," she whispered seductively, "Are you having fun?" She slowly walked towards him, but stopped in surprise as Draco's hand shot forward to stop her from coming closer. He didn't look at her, but continued to look over Hermione's shoulder.

"Don't come any closer, Jessie," he said. Hermione's eyes grew round and she watched in happiness as Jessie's face turned to complete shock.

"What?" she asked, in alarm. She regained her composure and shot back, "Why not?"

"Because I seem to act differently differently when you come near me." He turned his head and looked straight into her eyes, "I don't know why I acted like that before but -"

"Oh shush, Draco," Jessie said. She pushed Draco's hand aside and quickly went as close to him as possible, her arms hugging his waist.

"Jessie. Go away! He said he doesn't want you here," Hermione exclaimed furiously.

"Is that so?" Jessie whispered. She snaked her hand towards Draco's cheek and gently caressed it. "Draco, are you sure you don't want me here?"

Hermione waited confidently for Draco's answer, but her confidence disappeared as she saw the look in Draco's eyes. It was full of love and desire, and Hermione's mouth fell open in horror and revelation.

Draco leaned in and kissed Jessie gently on the lips. "Of course I want you here." Jessie turned to look at Hermione and smiled wickedly. "I think he does," Jessie said.

Hermione looked at Draco in confusion. His expression was dazed, and once again, he had only eyes for Jessie. What was wrong with him? Why was he acting like he was under a love spell? 

Hermione's heart leaped as she quickly put the pieces together. A love spell! _Jessie must be using some kind of love spell_, Hermione's head screamed. It had to be it. It would explain Draco's confusion and his sudden behaviour towards Jessie. Hermione looked at the both of them in disgust, as they both had started a furious make-out session. _So it isn't Draco fault at all_, she thought angrily.

It was her turn to help Draco. It was not right for him to kiss Jessie if he didn't really love her, and it was her turn to save Draco from doing something he didn't want to do intentionally. Jessie was only taking advantage of him without his consent after all.


	16. A Punch, a Push and a Hug

Hermione anxiously bit her lower lip as she watched Draco pull Jessie towards a secluded area to continue their 'session'. She had to make a move. She had to stop those two from going any further! Hermione looked at Draco's dazed expression and whispered to herself, "Draco…" She could feel her heart pound against her chest as she said his name. All of a sudden, anger overcame Hermione; a rage that coursed through her as she saw Jessie wrap an arm around his waist. She didn't know why, but she hated seeing Draco look at Jessie as if he loved her.

"Draco," she called out, but he didn't turn around. "Draco!" she yelled.

This time, Draco turned around as he heard someone familiar call out his name. He saw Hermione running towards him, her eyes filled with anger and determination.

"Ignore her, Draco," Jessie advised, "she's just jealous." She tugged on his sleeve to get his attention. Draco didn't need telling twice; he immediately looked away from Hermione and continued to walk on with Jessie. However, seconds later Jessie was furiously turned around by a pair of hands. Hermione stood in front of her, her cheeks flushed and her eyes full of hatred.

"How dare you!" Jessie exploded. "Don't you ever touch me, you little -"

Jessie never got to finish her sentence because the next thing she knew, a fist collided with her jaw, making her stumble back in surprise. She fell to the ground in pain; clenching on to her face.

Hermione put all her emotion and anger into that one punch. She could've used her wand, but she preferred the physical way; it made her feel better.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Draco yelled. He glared angrily at Hermione and kneeled down next to Jessie. "What the hell is your problem?" he spat, glancing up at her. "What did she ever do to you?" Draco gave her the most disgusted look she had ever seen. He looked back down at Jessie and gently stroked the place where Hermione had punched her.

Hermione tried her best to regain her composure. _He didn't mean anything he said_, she told to herself,_ he's under a love spell._ Hermione took a deep breath and walked over to the both of them.

"Come on, Draco," she said gently, trying to pull him up. "Get up."

"Draco! Don't leave me!" Jessie whimpered. "Don't listen to her." She quickly grabbed hold onto his hand and pulled him towards her. If he got a fair distance away from her, the perfume wouldn't work anymore.

Draco roughly shrugged Hermione's hand off and hissed, "Leave me."

Hermione ignored him and continued to try and pull him away from Jessie. "Just listen to me. Come on, Draco, get up." Once again, he angrily brushed her hand off. Hermione flinched back in surprise; she was shocked how a much a person could change under some sort of love spell.

Draco helped Jessie to stand up, who unsteadily grabbed onto his arm to support herself. She shot a nasty glance towards Hermione and said, "You'll pay. First you slap me, and then you punch me. Do you think I'll just stand around and let you have it your way?" She laughed hysterically. "You have no idea who you're dealing with."

Hermione smirked. How would Jessie react if she told her that she was the brightest witch of her age? What would Jessie do if she told her that she helped Harry Potter destroy Lord Voldemort? But she wasn't ready to tell all that to Jessie yet. Hermione still wanted to get her back for all that she had done to her, and the best way was for her not to know that she was a witch.

"You have no idea who you're dealing against either, Jessie," Hermione chuckled. "Now leave him alone."

Draco looked as if he couldn't hear what was being said between the two girls. His eyes were glued to Jessie.

"No," Jessie spat, "you leave him alone. He wants to be with me, not you!" She angrily picked up her bag from the ground, and slung it on her shoulder. "Come on, Draco. Let's go." She took his hand in hers and desperately pulled him along with her.

Hermione immediately caught up with the two of them, and casually walked beside Draco. She was having fun tormenting Jessie this way. She saw her eyes bulge out in outrage. Hermione made the distance between Jessie and herself so that they were an arm's length away; just in case Jessie decided to do anything foolish.

"What's the hurry Jessie?" Hermione said coolly, "Afraid that Draco will change his mind about you if you leave him with me long enough?" Draco looked at her as if she had said the most revolting thing in the world.

"Go away," Draco snarled, "you filthy little Mudblo -" But he was immediately silenced by Hermione's hand, which covered his mouth. Hermione's heart pounded wildly against her chest. She couldn't believe what Draco was about to say; he would have given the both of them away. _What is wrong with him! Did the love spell make him lose a brain cell?! _

Luckily, it seemed that Jessie hadn't paid attention to what he was saying. However, once she saw Hermione's hand over his mouth, she yelped, "What do you think you're doing!?" Jessie stopped in her tracks and looked at Hermione's hand in horror. She was about to reach out and grab it when Draco got there first. He roughly removed the hand covering his mouth and angrily pushed Hermione away from him.

Hermione stumbled back as Draco fiercely shoved her away; pain shooting up her shoulder because of his strong and angry push.

"What do you want with me?! Don't you ever touch me like that again." He looked at Hermione without a trace of compassion on his handsome face. It scared her a little to see him this enraged. Hermione clutched her throbbing shoulder and looked straight into his eyes; she could see nothing familiar in them. His grey orbs looked darker and more sinister.

Hermione could have used her wand and stupefied Jessie, but she didn't want to. If Jessie found out that she was a witch, she wouldn't hesitate to curse her. Pretending to be an innocent muggle would lessen her intentions to curse her. She could handle this situation the muggle method anyway.

Violet looked everywhere for Jessie. She searched the girls' bathroom, the souvenir shops with its t-shirts and toy birds, and even the small cafes where everyone sheltered from the blistering sun. Even the boys helped in looking for her, but not one of them came across Jessie.

"Maybe she went looking for the bathroom and got lost," suggested Jake, scratching his head unconsciously.

"The bathroom was right opposite from where we were standing," Roger replied, shaking his head. "Are you sure you checked the girls' bathroom properly, Violet? What if she locked herself in one of the cubicles?" The boys laughed. Violet impatiently tapped her foot on the ground, twirling a strand of hair around her finger and thinking furiously.

"Why would she run away?" Violet said, thinking aloud. "Something must have attracted her…" she muttered under her breath.

"Well that's obvious," Alex laughed, "The only thing that can get Jessie's attention is some guy." He batted his eyelashes flirtatiously and pouted his lips. "Oh, hello there! My name is Jessie. My, aren't you the good-looking one." Everyone burst out laughing, even Violet smiled at Alex's imitation.

"Don't do that again!" Jake laughed, "You sound like her."

"Do I?" Alex asked, a goofy smile plastered across his face. "Then I better not do it again! Ever!"

"Hold on a second," Violet said suddenly. She grabbed Alex by the collar and exclaimed, "That's it, Alex! That's exactly what might have happened!" She let go of him and paced around; leaving Alex to look at her in surprise and confusion. "She must have gone after a guy. But who…?"

Violet stopped her pacing and groaned as she realized who that someone must be. Jessie must have gone looking for Draco. Violet shook her head and sighed. Poor Hermione.

"Do you mind explaining why you're shaking your head and sighing?" Jake asked, giving her a questioning look.

"I think I know who she's after," Jessie replied, looking at the three boys.

"Enlighten us," Roger said. "Just who is this lucky guy now?" he chuckled.

Violet bit her lower lip anxiously and muttered, "Draco." She looked at the three boys to see their reactions, but they all shrugged as if this wasn't something they hadn't known before.

"So? I mean, we all know that Jessie fancies him. We can all see it," Jake said casually. He then added, "I doubt she went looking for him. It's not like she likes him so much as to ditch us."

Violet laughed out loud, making all the three boys jump in surprise. "You boys are such… boys!" she chuckled. "Any girl could see that she absolutely loves him." She shook her head, a smile still lingering on her lips; boys could be so dumb sometimes.

"Loves him!?" Roger exclaimed, flailing up his arms as if he had heard the most ridiculous idea. "She can't love him! She knows Draco and Hermione are going out. Isn't there some kind of rule in the girl's world where it's wrong to flirt with a guy who's dating your friend or something?"

"What?!" Violet laughed, "You must be joking! Where in the world did you get that idea, Roger?" Suddenly, she burst into a fit of giggles. _How did he ever think up such a thing?!_

Roger blushed. "Well it's something I heard somewhere," he said defensively. He quickly tried changing the subject. "Anyway, you were saying?"

"Right, right," she replied, trying to keep in her laughter. "As I was saying, I think Jessie has run off to look for Draco, take him away, and leave poor Hermione alone." She said this all so fast, that Jake, Alex and Roger looked at her in confusion for a moment.

Suddenly, Alex burst out, "She wouldn't dare!"

Violet's eyebrow shot up so high, that it was covered by her fringe. "Are you kidding me? It's Jessie. She'd do anything." The boys stood quietly, nodding their heads solemnly.

Roger unconsciously scratched the back of his ear and said slowly, "So… what are we going to do?"

Alex playfully slapped the back of Roger's head and said cheerfully, "Find her, of course!"

"Ow!" Roger yelped. He massaged the back of his head and glared at Alex, who shrugged and said, "You were asking a silly question."

"And how is that silly?" he snapped.

"Well it's pretty obvious," Alex said simply, "We have to go and find Jessie so that she doesn't ruin things between Hermione and Draco, right Violet?"

Violet nodded, a smile creeping onto her face. "Bravo, Alex! Glad you figured that one out." She spread her arms as if she was going to embrace the world and said, "What are we waiting for?! Let's get a move on." And so the three of them made their way backwards, looking left and right to get a glimpse of Jessie; and perhaps also Draco and Hermione, if Violet was correct.

Hermione was furious that Malfoy had shoved her roughly; her shoulder was throbbing painfully. She kept telling herself it wasn't his fault; that he was under some love spell, but he looked as if he had really meant what he did. _Of course he does_, her head said shrilly, _he's not thinking straight so you better make him come to his senses! _

She inhaled deeply and gritted her teeth. She wasn't trying hard enough. She might as well knock out some of Draco's teeth to get him to his senses. Hermione almost laughed at this thought, but held it inside; it wasn't the right time to laugh or to think about such things.

She was about to make her next move, when she saw four people come into view. She didn't want to make a big scene so she waited for them to pass. However, when she noticed who those 'four people' were, her heart soared. She wanted to run to them and hug them all. She wanted to laugh at Jessie's face and say, "Game's over!" She had never in her life felt so happy to see four people come towards her.

Violet was the first to reach the three of them. She shook her head and said in a stern voice, "Jessie! Why did you lie to me, and just leave!"

Jessie eyed her friends in dismay. She would be pulled and dragged by them and get separated from her Draco! At this thought, she instinctively tightened her grip on his arm.

Violet looked at Hermione and smiled when she saw her look of relief. She winked at her and then turned her attention back towards Jessie. "Come on, let's go. Leave Draco and Hermione together." Violet gestured for Jessie to follow her, but her friend stood rooted to the spot.

"No," Jessie said, "I don't want to. She linked her arms with Draco and said firmly, "I'm staying here with Draco."

Roger, Jake and Alex, came and stood next to Violet. Jessie immediately took a step backwards, pulling Draco along with her. "Don't come any closer," Jessie warned the boys. "I mean it."

Roger laughed and said, "What's wrong with you." However, none of the boys moved.

"I'll meet you guys later. Just let me talk with Draco for a few minutes," she pleaded. Hermione snorted. She knew that Jessie wanted to have more than a 'talk' with him.

The three boys stood still, but Violet ignored what Jessie had said and marched forwards. She grabbed hold of one of Jessie's arms and said, "You are coming with me now!"

"Hey, leave her alone!" Draco said suddenly, holding Jessie back. "She said she doesn't want to go with you." 

Violet looked at Draco in disgust and said, "You just shut your trap and stay still. You and Hermione have things to work out." With that she roughly pulled Jessie away from him. Jessie tried with all her might to protest, but Violet was much stronger than her. 

"Draco," Jessie said, reaching out her hand for him. 

"Jessie, stop that!" Violet said furiously, "He belongs to someone else."

Jessie looked at Draco over her shoulder. She knew that he was slowly going back to his normal state; she was far enough from him. She furiously tried to pull away from Violet's firm grip, but to no avail.

"Wait up, Violet," Alex said. 

Jessie's heart leaped as she heard his voice. If either of the boys got near her, it would be disaster! She quickly muttered a spell to clear away the seductive odour.

"What was that?" Violet asked her curiously.

"Nothing," Jessie mumbled back.

"Jessie!" Jake exclaimed, slapping her back playfully. "What was that all about? I mean why were you acting that way? Do you love him or something? Do you -"

"Oh, just shut up," Jessie snapped, "You guys are supposed to be my friends! Why didn't you just leave me alone with him?!"

"Because," Violet replied, "You were going to break things up with them."

"So what? He wanted to be with me, not her!" she said angrily. She glared at all four of them.

"No, Jessie," Violet said slowly, "They are both meant to be."

Draco stood still as his actions and words came flowing back to him. Draco's heart started to beat faster and faster as he realized what he had said and done. He thought he would die in confusion. What was happening to him?! Why did he always act this way when Jessie came near him?

"Draco?"

He closed his eyes as he heard his name. Hermione. How could he explain himself to her this time? His heart pounded against his chest; he was too nervous. He couldn't bring himself to turn around and face her.

"Draco? Are you alright?" Hermione asked. He felt a small hand on his shoulder, the gesture already calming him down.

"Look at me," she whispered. She squeezed his shoulder in assurance. "It's okay."

Slowly, he turned around, his gaze immediately locking with her own. "I-I know you won't believe me, but -"

"Shhh!" she said, interrupting him. She continued to look into his eyes, as if she were analyzing him; looking for something.

Hermione searched through his eyes for his familiarity. His irises were much lighter than before, and the sinister glint in them was gone. His dazed expression had vanished from his face and all she could see was pure confusion. This was the real Draco. The spell had somehow lifted.

Suddenly, she gave Draco the biggest smile he had ever seen. Seeing this, he became even more perplexed. Wasn't she angry that he had behaved that way? 

"What's going on? Why are you smiling -" But once again, he was cut off by her. Not because she wanted to say something, but because she had suddenly flung her arms around him and buried her face against his chest. Draco stood rooted the spot in surprise. His arms hung limply on each side, not knowing what to do with them. He was shocked, embarrassed, confused and… pleased. 

Draco felt her arms slightly tighten around him. He blushed and muttered, "Hermione, you're hugging me in public." 

Hermione ignored him. "I'm sorry," she mumbled into his chest. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you earlier." She felt guilty that she hadn't listened to him. He had tried to tell the truth but she had just ignored him. He really didn't know why he had behaved that way; he had been so confused and she felt it were her fault that she hadn't figured it out sooner.

Draco had no idea what she was talking about, but decided against asking her what was wrong. Ever so slowly, he lifted his arms. At first he hesitated, but then he gradually lowered his hands onto her back.

Hermione overlooked the fact that she was hugging Malfoy, and that he was hugging her back. She knew it was wrong, but she it actually felt nice. It was like cuddling a warm pillow.

Draco gently rubbed her back, not knowing how to soothe her. He had never in his entire life hugged a woman with affection, but to his surprise, it felt really good. "It's okay," he murmured, "it's okay". Her head was right next to his left cheek, and he couldn't help but inhale her beautifully scented hair. It smelled of sweet honey and almonds.

Finally, after what seemed like eternity (but was really only a minute or so), Hermione slowly pulled away. She looked up at him and smiled. She did feel embarrassed that she had just flung herself at him, but it was out of instinct you could say.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, looking genuinely concerned.

"I should ask you the same question," she said, laughter in her eyes. His expression immediately turned into that of confused, so Hermione quickly said, "It's alright. I know what's going on."

He looked at her intriguingly; half relieved and half curious. "What do you know?"

She sighed and replied, "Everything. I'm just sorry I didn't tell you earlier… I was being selfish."

"Hey, it's okay," he said soothingly. He stopped suddenly as he realized how he must have sounded. Wanting to feel more like himself, he added in a more casual tone, "Just tell me what you know."

Hermione didn't notice his change in tone. "Yeah," she sighed, "it's about time you know what's going on."

"WHAT?!" Draco yelped as Hermione told him Jessie's true identity and what she had done. His mouth fell open and his eyes grew round. "She's a witch?"

"Yeah, and she put you under some kind of love spell," Hermione added matter-of-factly.

Draco's hands flew up to his head; his hands fisting onto his hair. "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant," he muttered under his breath. "This is what I get for my good looks."

"Draco!" Hermione exclaimed, "This is not a joke. You shouldn't be proud of your 'good looks' right now. Look at what it got you into!"

"Yeah, yeah," he said, waving his hand in dismissal. "At least you were there to figure out what was going on. Otherwise -"

"- you'd die of confusion whenever she left you," Hermione finished off for him.

"Right," he muttered. He looked at Hermione who was gazing sideways; admiring the colourful birds. He wanted to say something to her, but the words were just stuck in his throat. The urge to say it became stronger and stronger with each passing second until he blurted out, "Thank you."

Hermione's head whipped around to face him. She wasn't sure if she had heard him correctly. "What?" she asked.

"You heard me," he said, thrusting his hands into his pockets and looking at his feet. "I said t-thank you; for helping me."

Hermione smiled. Draco Malfoy said 'thank you' to her. She knew he had probably never said such a thing in his life. If he had ever said it, he probably had not really meant it.

"Do you mean it?" she asked him, trying to catch his eye.

He looked up and stared straight into her chocolate-brown eyes. "Yeah, I do."

Hermione beamed at him. "You are absolutely welcome."


	17. Close Encounters

Hermione and Draco sat on an old wooden bench, discussing about Jessie and the startling discovery of her being a witch. Their conversation went smoothly. They talked, laughed, teased, and as always insulted each other, but not to the extent of cursing one another.

Birds twittered all around them, and gold-brown leaves swirled through the warm air. The tree branches swayed against the wind, making the leaves whisper and sigh among themselves. The whole atmosphere was magical. Draco and Hermione sat amid all this beauty, neither of them noticing the enchanting environment. It was as if Mother Nature was celebrating what was going on between the two of them. Sparks were flying between them and they knew it. The only problem was that they were refusing to believe it.

Hermione let out a sigh and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air which smelled of fresh grass and dried leaves. Draco watched her silently, tilting his head to one side. He didn't understand why, but he started to notice different things about her; the way she smiled or laughed, the way she always bit her lower lip when she got nervous, the way she talked…

Hermione opened her eyes and turned her head sideways to see Draco looking at her intently. She blushed as he continued to stare at her. "What?" she mumbled, tearing her gaze away from him.

Draco shook his head, shaking himself from his thoughts. "Sorry," he muttered, "I was just thinking." He turned his head and stared ahead, watching the birds fly from one branch to another. She nodded her head slowly.

Hermione furrowed her brows. The surroundings in front of her were vaguely familiar. Something about the place made her feel good about herself.

"There's something about this place... it… it makes me feel all warm inside," Hermione said, scratching her chin unconsciously.

Draco chuckled and replied, "It should. This is the place where you punched Jessie."

Hermione's mouth fell open then slowly twisted into a surprised smile. She covered her mouth with her hands and giggled into them. "You're right!" she laughed. "No wonder this place makes me feel so -"

"- awesome?" Draco finished off for her.

She looked at him and smiled. "Yeah."

Draco continued to look at her intently. Her eyes were dancing with laughter and her lips were curled into a small grin. For the first time, he truly noticed how beautiful she was; inside and out. She wasn't gorgeous or anything, but her personality and her caring nature made up for it. Unlike him, she seem to didn't care what other people thought of her. She was smart, strong and pretty. He was able to admit all of this to himself now.

Hermione's face grew hot with embarrassment as he continued to study her face. As much as she wanted to look away, she found herself staring into his misty-gray eyes. She had never seen such attractive eyes in her life; they were mysterious and captivating. She had never seen him so up-close before. His eyelashes were long and beautiful, and his face looked much more handsome. Draco Malfoy was definitely not the same boy she had first met at Hogwarts. He had changed for the good, and she had to admit that she was falling for his charm.

Draco saw her face slowly turn red and realized that she was probably feeling uncomfortable. But then why wasn't she looking away? He cleared his throat, making her jerk out of her reverie. "I know you girls can't get enough of looking at me, but please control yourself," Draco said, smirking as he saw her look at him in revulsion.

"I wasn't looking at you. I was just…thinking," she replied defiantly, mimicking his own answer from earlier. She looked away and folded her arms across her chest. Draco laughed. He had been doing this quite often lately. Somehow, she was always able to make him laugh.

"Hey, what's that over there?" Hermione asked suddenly, pointing to an object which was lying several meters away.

Draco looked towards where she was pointing and said, "I don't know." He got up and pulled Hermione along with him. "Let's see what it is."

Together, they approached the small object and leaned down to pick it up. Hermione held up a crystal, perfume bottle with red wine substance swirling around inside. She turned the bottle around and read the curvy letters sprawled across.

"Amorodor," Draco muttered, reading it over Hermione's shoulder. "What's that?" Hermione cringed as his hot breath washed over her neck. Her neck tingled with the sensation, covering her exposed flesh with goose bumps. She silently cursed herself for her body reacting this way. Why was she getting goose bumps whenever he was near?!

"Draco, I'm sure you'd be able to identify it if you weren't hovering over my shoulder!" Hermione accused, gesturing for him to stand next to her rather than behind her.

"Merlin! Just ask me nicely," Draco snapped. "You don't have to get all worked up about it." He moved to stand beside her, snatched the bottle from her fingers, and started examining it.

Hermione rolled her eyes and scowled. "It's a love perfume, you half-wit."

Draco looked at her in realization and asked, "Jessie's?"

"I'm sure of it. She must have used it to seduce you," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"I've never heard of Amorodor before," Draco said, swirling the contents around. "How do you know it's a love perfume?"

"Because," Hermione said, a small smile forming on her lips, "amor means love and odor means smell, in Latin." She took the crystal bottle from him and started examining it herself. "It sounds like one of Fred and George's products," she muttered to herself.

"You're still the know-it-all, aren't you?" Draco said, smirking.

"If it weren't for me being a 'know-it-all', we wouldn't have known if it was a magical object," Hermione scoffed.

"Yeah, whatever." He once again snatched the bottle away from her, and pocketed it in his jeans. He lightly tapped the place where he had kept it and gave her a satisfied smile.

"Hey! You give that back," Hermione ordered. "I'll keep it in a safer place rather than some grimy pocket."

Draco snorted, "Yeah right. You mean in that bag of yours? I don't think so." He slowly leaned towards her, making her nervously lean back. He smirked and whispered into her ear, "And besides, who knows what you'll do with this. You might use it on yourself to seduce me." He looked at her, winked, and turned his back towards her, whistling a cheerful tune.

Hermione stood rooted to the spot, her mouth open in surprise. Her stupid heart was beating madly, and she could feel her cheeks become hot. Draco had come so close to her, that for a millisecond she thought he was about to… about to kiss her! Then all of a sudden, he tilted his head towards her ear and whispered into it. The worst part of it was that she was actually anticipating for what was going to happen. Hermione Granger was actually waiting for Draco Malfoy to kiss her! Hermione whimpered to herself for having such perverted thoughts. _Why did he have to come so close anyway! What's he trying to do? Tamper with my emotions!?_

Draco was angrily turned around, coming face to face with a flustered Hermione. "What did you do that for?!" Hermione exclaimed, jabbing a finger into his chest. "You scared the life out of me!"

Draco coolly took hold of her finger which was about to stab him yet again, and pulled her closer. He looked down at her surprised face and smirked. "Like how?" he said, his hand still holding on to her finger. Hermione felt his warm breath wash over her once more, making her gulp nervously. He was so close; she could actually see her anxious self through his eyes.

Draco hadn't known that her being this close would have such a big effect on him. Sure, she had hugged him, but that was different. This time, her face was close to his; not buried into his chest. He could feel heat rise between them. He felt his stomach lurch, and his muscles tense. Her face was so close. Close enough to…

"Like that!" Hermione said furiously, pushing him away. Her breath was ragged, and she had to place a hand on her chest to calm her pounding heart. "You made me think that you were going to — oh, you're such a jerk!"

Draco was astounded to find that his breath was uneven too. The proximity of her face and body felt… exhilarating. He didn't think he had ever felt that way with any other girl before. Draco watched as Hermione desperately tried to compose herself; she was fanning her face and was trying to breathe calmly. Had she felt what he had felt?

Draco gathered his wits and said smugly, "Got scared from being that close to me, did you?" He had to show that she hadn't affected him.

"I wasn't scared!" Hermione sputtered. "I thought you were going to do something to me, that's all."

"Like what? Kiss you?" Draco blurted out. He stood rooted to the spot as he realized what had come out of his mouth. He mentally kicked himself for uttering such a thing.

"No!" Hermione yelped in defence. "That — that thought didn't even cross my mind." 

"Good," Draco said, "Because, I — I wasn't going to."

"Good," Hermione muttered, feeling relieved and somewhat disappointed. Why was she feeling disappointed!?

"Great," he mumbled back.

The truth was that for a moment, he was considering on kissing her. In the beginning, he had pulled her close to tease her, but when he saw her lips so near to his, he just felt like leaning down and capturing them with his own. Draco mentally screamed at himself for even thinking to do such a thing, but he calmed himself by blaming his hormones. _I didn't really want to_, he told himself,_ it's my stupid, pent-up hormones!_

There was an awkward silence between them. Both of them were desperately trying to figure out their emotions, and wondering why they were feeling the way they were at this point. Suddenly Draco said, "Are you hungry? I'm starving."

Hermione was glad to break the uncomfortable silence between them and eagerly replied, "Yeah! Let's go get something to eat."

Draco and Hermione entered a small café which was crammed with people. They squeezed their way towards the counter, excusing themselves whenever they pushed past someone.

"Brilliant," Draco drawled. "You couldn't have chosen a better place to eat."

"Stop whining," Hermione snapped. "The other café was all the way on the other side of the park. And you said you were hungry."

"Hello," smiled the woman sitting behind the counter, "how may I help you?" Draco and Hermione scanned through the menu the lady had given them, and started choosing what they wanted to eat.

"You do realize you're paying for this, Draco," Hermione said smugly. "With the money I took out from your wallet."

"Don't be ridiculous," Draco said, exasperated. "Can't you see how much one thing costs over here!?" He took out the money which he had stuffed into his pocket and started counting it.

"It's going to be enough to pay for what we're going to eat, now come on and choose." Hermione smiled at the lady and said, "I'll have a hot dog combo."

Draco peered at the menu and tried to see how much that would cost him. When he saw the price, he started to laugh. "Oh, no, you don't," he said, shaking his head at Hermione who was staring at him in confusion. He looked at the lady and said, "She's not having that."

"Yes, I am!" Hermione said in an indignant voice.

"No, you're not," Draco said, trying to sound as polite as he could be. "Do you see the price of that hot dog?!" he said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, and you better pay for it, because I'm hungry."

Draco laughed in disbelief. "Just give us a second," he said, smiling at the confused woman before them. "My friend here doesn't know what she wants."

"Well do hurry up and make up your minds," she said, in a rather annoyed voice. "I've got other people waiting, you know."

Draco nodded and looked at Hermione with a serious expression. "Look, Hermione, you better choose something else to eat, or you give me back my wallet."

Hermione glared at him and said, "I want that hot dog, and you're going to pay for it."

"We're not going to survive the rest of the day if you finish all the money on eating," Draco said angrily. 

Hermione snatched the money he was holding, and smiled sweetly. "I think I made my point," she said, grinning broadly. "Just go and find a table, I'll buy us something to eat."

"What do you mean you made your point?" Draco said, utterly perplexed.

"Just go," Hermione commanded. She turned her back towards him and started ordering their food, leaving Draco to go and look for an empty table.

Few minutes later, Hermione came back with two hot dog combos and two drinks. She set their food on the table that Draco had found, and sat down on a chair opposite to him.

"You got two hot dogs?!" Draco said in incredulously. "How do you expect us to survive the whole tour if you won't give my wallet back!" He scratched his head in frustration and said, "That's it. Give back my wallet before I die of frustration." He was about to grab Hermione's bag when her hand slapped him away.

"Who said I'm taking away your wallet for the whole trip?" she asked questioningly. "I said I'm keeping your wallet for this tour; the bird park."

He looked at her wide-eyed and exclaimed, "You're kidding. I thought you said the whole trip!"

"You're so thick. I clearly said it'll be enough money for the time we spend in this place."

Draco sighed in relief. "Thanks Merlin," he breathed. "I thought — anyway, where's the rest of the money?"

Hermione slammed the change onto the table and looked at him as if she had accomplished an assignment.

"What?" Draco said in a muffled voice as he had just taken a big bite out of his hot dog.

"Now, do you know what it's like to live with that amount of money?" Hermione said, taking a sip out of her drink. "It's hard isn't it?"

It took a moment for Draco to register what she had just said. His mouth fell open in realization and he looked at her unbelievingly. "Oh," he said, wagging a finger towards her, "Oh now I know what this is all about. You are trying to teach me the value of money, aren't you?" Draco practically laughed out loud as he said this. "I can't believe this," he said in a hushed tone. "_You_ are trying to teach _me_ the _value of money?_"

Hermione cocked her head to one side and said, "Is there a problem?"

"Look, you," he said, pointing his finger at her. "Why should I even pretend I have no money? Trust me; I'm not going to run out of it."

"You're so full of yourself," Hermione shot back.

"Why, thank you," he said, his words dripping with sarcasm.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but couldn't help a smile steal over her lips. She remembered Draco's face as she ordered herself a hot dog, and the way he clung onto the money she had taken out of his wallet.

"Why do you randomly smile? What are you smirking about now?" Draco asked, peering over his drink.

"Nothing, nothing," Hermione said, waving her hand in dismissal. "We better hurry up though," she advised, taking a bite out of her hot dog. "We have to start making our way back to Puvan. We're going to leave Jurong BirdPark in fifteen minutes."

"Ah, everyone here?" Puvan asked, his voice booming through the microphone.

"Yes," everyone chanted, taking up their previous seating place. Once again, Violet pulled Jessie down next to her, making her whimper as she watched Draco take his place beside Hermione.

"Good, good," Puvan replied cheerily. "Our next stop is Underwater World. Then, we'll go to the Night Safari. Oh that is very good," he said, buckling his seat belt. "You'll enjoy the Night Safari."

He pushed on the pedal and they were off once again, everyone staring out the window; taking in the beautiful atmosphere of Singapore.

Hermione sighed and rested her forehead against the cool window pane. "It's so breath-taking," Hermione breathed, causing the window to fog up. "It has such a different culture, so much beauty…"

"First sign of madness is talking to yourself," Draco teased, receiving a playful punch from Hermione.

"Very funny," Hermione said, holding back a smile. "You know, it's not uncommon — talking to yourself, I mean. Haven't you ever talked to yourself?"

"Do I look like I'm crazy?" Draco asked coolly. "Trust me, you'll never find a Malfoy doing such a thing."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Malfoys never do this, Malfoys never do that," she mimicked. "Merlin, Draco, are you abnormal or what?!"

"No, we're just perfect," he said, his trademark smirk forming on his lips. "You should have noticed by now."

Hermione snorted at his remark, but didn't say anything back. _There are some things that will never change_, Hermione thought to herself. Yes, Draco had changed but there was still a part of him that never would; a part of him that would always remain unaffected. His smart, witty comments, his cool demeanour, the trademark smirk — all this represented him. However, she secretly enjoyed these aspects of him. She would furtively take pleasure in arguing with him. They would always end up trying to upstage one another, and it felt exhilarating when she won these arguments; she knew that no one except Draco would be able to compete with her.

Hermione looked at Malfoy out of the corner of her eye. His head was leaning back against the seat, his eyes were closed and — to her annoyance — his smirk was still lingering on his lips.

"I wouldn't have thought you, of all people, would take an opportunity to stare at me," Draco said coolly, his eyes still closed and his smirk becoming more prominent. 

Hermione blushed and quickly looked out of the window, furiously wondering how he knew that she had been looking at him. "It wasn't by purpose," Hermione replied calmly. "Do you expect me to stare out the window the whole trip?"

"So you'd rather look at me, huh?" Draco said with amusement; eyes still coolly staying closed.

Embarrassed, Hermione shot back, "Since you're closing your eyes, just close your mouth too." She let out a frustrated sigh, tore her gaze away from him and continued to look outside.

Draco chuckled to himself, enjoying the fact that he could get under her skin. He slowly opened his eyes, glancing over at Hermione who was determinately looking out the window, trying her very best not to turn around. He smiled, stretched his arms behind his head and once again closed his eyes. The trip to Jurong BirdPark had been eventful and he had a feeling the rest of the tour would get more exciting. He still had to endure Hermione's company for rest of the outing but for some reason, this thought didn't bother him. In fact, he was actually looking forward to it.

Draco slowly realized why he really didn't mind. He was actually enjoying having her beside him. Somewhat disconcerted by this thought, Draco dismissed the notion. He tried to focus on something else and eventually fell into a light slumber, the previous thought still troubling his unconscious state of mind.


	18. Night Safari

The trip to UnderWater World was the best trip Draco had ever been on. He hadn't expected the Muggle world to be fascinating at all but was glad to have decided to go on the tour. Draco tried his very best to seem uninterested in front of Hermione, but caught her smirking in satisfaction a few times. He wished he hadn't droned on about how boring it would be to watch fish swim around in their stupid tanks. Now, he had to endure her smug smile which clearly meant, "Hah, I told you! I knew you'd enjoy yourself!"

Whenever Draco inspected a rather intriguing fish, he couldn't help chuckling to himself. Hermione, who had heard him laughing quietly, walked up behind him once and slightly tapped on his shoulder.

"Yeah, what?" Draco said, not tearing his gaze away from the Masked Butterflyfish which was frantically swimming from one side to the other.

"Why were you laughing?"

"Why do you want to know everything?"

"Curious."

"None of your business."

Getting thoroughly annoyed by his 'get lost' tone, Hermione scowled and snapped, "Fine! I didn't really want to know anyway." She turned around, furiously cursing him under her breath, when Draco's hand shot forward and swiftly took hold of one of her wrists.

Draco leaned against the thick glass, his hand casually holding onto her wrist as she turned around to face him, an expression of pure irritation etched onto her features.

He sighed and pulled her forward so she was standing right in front of him. He restrained himself from laughing as he looked at her; she was looking at him angrily and he could tell that she was barely controlling herself from telling him off.

"You girls get irritated too easily," Draco said calmly, inspecting his finger nails; ignoring her death glares.

"You have got to stop holding onto my wrist like that," Hermione snapped, struggling to free herself from his grasp. But he was too strong for her; the more she struggled, the more he held on.

"And you have really got to stop being so stubborn," Draco replied coolly, loosening his grip on her. Hermione quickly withdrew her hand and stuffed them into her pockets, just in case he decided to take hold of her again.

"I am not stubborn! You're the one -"

"If you be quiet, I'll tell you why I was laughing," Draco cut across, his lips curling into a small smirk.

Hermione narrowed her eyes down at him and growled, "Do I look like I want to know now?"

Draco ignored her and looked at an Angelfish, tapping at the thick glass walls, trying to get its attention. "I'm laughing because it's funny to look at these fishes."

Hermione controlled herself from asking what was so funny. Instead, she made a you're-such-a-retard-who-doesn't-make-sense-at-all sort of face. Draco looked at her, saw her expression, and laughed.

"I mean, it's funny to look at them compared to what I've seen already," he explained.

Immediately forgetting their little row, Hermione frowned and nodded slowly. "So…you mean to say that it's unbelievable that you've seen dragons and other dangerous animals but not simple creatures such as fishes?"

Draco was thoroughly surprised by how fast she had caught on. He sighed. Well it was Hermione Granger after all, he shouldn't have expected less. "That's right. Glad I didn't have to say it twice," Draco replied, hiding the fact that she had impressed him.

Hermione smiled, but it quickly turned into a scowl as she saw Jessie approach them. Hermione shook with rage. Unfortunately, she was stuck with her during this part of the tour; she and Draco had to go around with the whole gang. It would have been enjoyable if Jessie hadn't been there, keeping an eye on the both of them. Luckily, Violet was there to keep Jessie under control.

The part that Hermione couldn't believe was the fact that Jessie had the nerve to show her face in front of her after she had deliberately tried to provoke her. Jessie pretended as if nothing, infuriating Hermione even more.

"Uh-oh," Hermione whispered to Draco, "Jessie alert."

Draco smirked, making Hermione wrinkle her nose in disgust. Even though Draco hated Jessie, he still couldn't get over the fact that she would go through any lengths to take him for herself.

"It's amazing how I seem to attract girls," Draco had boasted. Hermione had immediately told him to deflate his big fat head and had angrily stormed off. Why did guys have to be such egoistic jerks!?

"Wipe that ridiculous smirk off your face," Hermione snapped, "she'll take that as an invitation."

"Alright, alright," Draco replied wearily, "don't get all uptight about it."

Jessie cheerfully approached the both of them, ignoring Hermione's tight-lipped expression. "You aren't going to see anything if you stand here all day, you know," she chirped, directing her words towards Draco. She completely ignored the fact that Hermione was right there, furiously trying to scare her off with her heated glares.

"_We know_," Draco emphasised. He took Hermione's hand in his and said coolly, "We're coming."

Hermione looked at Draco with surprise. The moment she felt his warm hand gently take hold of hers, she thought her stomach would burst with butterflies. She didn't understand why his simple gestures affected her so much.

Jessie's eyes bulged like a mad bull as she saw Draco take hold of Hermione's hand, but she didn't dare show her bitterness. She gave him a strained smile and walked off, fuming with rage. She would have to resort to using Amorodor once again. She hadn't expected to use it more than three times but separating those two lovebirds was not as easy as she thought it would be. If Draco fell in love with her again, she was sure that Hermione would give him up. No girl in their right mind would continue dating a boy who kept going after another girl.

Draco silently squeezed Hermione's hand as Jessie stalked off. Even though she didn't show it, Draco was sure that Jessie's ignorance and snotty attitude hurt her. By holding her hand, he was quietly telling her not get upset, to let go of her anger.

Hermione felt heat rise into her cheeks as she felt Draco's grip on her increase. His silent comfort greatly calmed her temper, but it also made her heart flutter wildly. What was wrong with her?

Draco leisurely let go of her hand, feeling her smooth skin slip from his grasp. Hermione didn't ask why he had suddenly decided to console her and Draco decided against asking whether she was over her anger. They both understood each other at that point; no words were needed to convey their feelings and there was no need to ask questions. Their wordless conversation said it all.

Turtles, sharks, jellyfish, sea anemones… — Draco and Hermione saw them all. The colourful world of sea creatures fascinated them and they took the opportunity to take as many pictures as they could. 

"What's the point of this stupid creature living at all?" Draco said, wearily eyeing a black sea cucumber. "All these scavengers do is feed off debris," he muttered, watching the small creature crawl inch by inch.

Hermione was about tell him its other purposes in life when they heard a girl screech so loudly, that it made the hair on the back of their necks rise up.

"It's gone!" they heard Jessie shriek as she furiously rummaged around in her bag. "Oh, it's gone," she practically sobbed. "I've been pick-pocketed!"

"What's gone!?" Alex asked worriedly, wondering what on earth could have been so important as to make her screech like a banshee.

"My _perfume_," she cried, "my most favourite perfume in the whole world!" She desperately thrust her hand into her bag once again, hoping that she hadn't looked properly.

Roger, who had been standing right beside Alex, stared at Jessie, absolutely dumbfounded. "Women…" he muttered unbelievingly, "going nuts over a perfume — typical."

Hermione and Malfoy were trying their best not to burst out laughing. Draco's cheeks had puffed up like a blowfish and Hermione had to bite on her upper lip to stop her laughter from escaping.

"It's just a perfume, Jessie," Violet said incredulously. "You can buy another one just like it!"

Draco slowly reached into his pocket, making sure the love perfume was still there. He felt the cool surface of the crystal bottle and smiled, satisfied.

"You don't understand!" Jessie said helplessly. "It's very important to me!"

"I'm sure we'll survive with your bad odour for the next couple of hours, Jess," Jake said jokingly. "It can't be that bad."

Jessie glared at him, immediately shutting him up. She looked at each of them, her eyes clearly telling them not to mess with her. As her gaze landed on Draco, she sighed bitterly and looked away. What was she to do now? How was she supposed to get him to like her? Knowing she had created a scene and didn't know how to get out of it, she did the first thing that came to mind; she angrily stormed off.

By the time they left UnderWater World it was 5:30. The trip to the Night Safari was a one and a half hour drive, so everyone excitedly talked about what water creature they liked best and what they expected to see in the Night Safari.

"I give you a suggestion," Puvan said, listening into their animated discussion about the Night Safari. "Watch the tribal performance, it is a whole different experience," he said, in his thick Singaporean accent.

"Oh, I've heard about that," Roger said enthusiastically. "It's supposed to be really good."

"I just want to see the Bushbabies," Violet squealed in delight. "They're supposed to be the size of kittens with big conspicuous eyes! How adorable!"

"How adorable!" Alex said sarcastically in a high-pitched girly voice. He waved his hand in the air, dismissing the idea completely. "Who in the world wants to see those!?"

"Yeah," Draco drawled, "I'd rather see the Sloth Bear!"

"Yeah!" cheered all the boys, making Hermione and Violet laugh.

"Well, I want to see that too, you know," Violet said coyly. "It's just that I've heard so much about the Bushbabies. Did you know that they're capable of leaping as high as six feet vertically and up to twelve feet horizontally in a split second?"

"Now, that's worth seeing," Jake said, nodding his head in approval.

Jessie ignored their discussion; she chose to stare out the window, her eyebrows furrowed as if in deep thought. Hermione wondered what she was thinking about. She just hoped that Jessie wasn't thinking about ways to recapture Draco's attention.

"Excited?" Draco asked, once everyone had gone back to looking outside their window.

"Absolutely thrilled," Hermione said happily. "It's going be one brilliant experience."

Violet and Roger immediately went and bought the entrance tickets for everyone the minute they got off the mini-bus. Once everybody was officially inside the campus, they all stared at their surroundings in awe.

Trees ominously loomed over their heads, the rays of the setting sun splashing the leaves with amber light. All sorts of animal cries echoed throughout the place, effectively making everyone restless — they all wanted to begin their final tour.

"I think our guide is here," Hermione said as she saw a man, in a safari uniform, walking towards them. He was clad in green; his shirt was green, his pants were green, even his shoes were green. The reason for this was probably to reflect the tropical surroundings. The only part of his uniform that wasn't green was his name, which was inscribed onto a small, silver metal plate that stuck to his breast pocket.

"Hello, my name is Andi," he said, pointing at his breast pocket, "and I'm going to be your tour guide for tonight." He smiled at all seven of them, his friendly appearance instantly making them all feel comfortable.

"Brilliant!" Alex said enthusiastically. "Let's get started."

The place was full of people! Many of them were already being led by their guides, eagerly following and asking questions about what animals they were going to encounter. Hermione had obviously started bombarding Andi with questions the minute she got the chance. "What animals are we going to see? Are most of them dangerous? And how's the tribal performance? Is it really worth watching?" Her questions seemed to never end, and it came to a point where Draco had to actually cover her mouth with his hand, telling her to 'shut the hell up.'

Andi showed them to their Limo Buggy, a black and white striped buggy that was big enough to fit all of them. He sat in the driver's seat, gesturing for the others to take their places. Everyone had to sit in pairs because it was a two-seater vehicle. Hermione was eager to sit next to Violet for a change, but Violet had plunked herself right next to Jessie.

"Violet, come on," Hermione pleaded, "let me sit with you."

"I'd love to, you know that!" Violet sighed. "But I know Jessie's emotions are out of control at the moment. She's angry about you and Draco, she's upset about her perfume…It's better if I keep an eye on her." Gloomily, Hermione went and sat next to Draco. She honestly didn't mind sitting next to him anymore, but she felt like he had had enough of her.

"Sick of sitting next to me?" Draco asked with a smirk on his face. He looked ahead as he said this, his gaze not meeting Hermione's.

"No," Hermione said slowly, "I thought you were bored of sitting next to me -"

"- which isn't true," Draco interrupted. "If I was, you wouldn't see me sitting next to an empty seat," he said calmly, still not looking at her.

Hermione frowned. "You were waiting for me to sit next to you?"

He turned and looked at her, his steely gaze sending shivers through her body. He didn't say anything for a few seconds, making Hermione gulp nervously.

"No," he said finally. He looked away, his eyes fixed on the back of Roger's head.

Hermione looked at him curiously. "But then why -"

"Everyone good?" Andi's voice boomed through the microphone, breaking off Hermione's sentence. "Good. Now the rules are simple," Andi stated. "Cameras are strictly prohibited; the flashlight will only agitate the animals. You should not, at any time, get off the buggy, and make sure that your entire body is well inside the vehicle."

Everybody nodded slowly, anxiously making sure that not a toe was outside the Limo Buggy. Hermione curiously looked at Draco once again, but his head was turned the other way. She bit her lower lip as she pondered over what he had said. She didn't bother to ask her question again. She had a strong feeling that he was keeping something from her, but why?

"The first trail is called the Fishing Cat Trail," Andi said. "It's called the 'Fishing Cat Trail' because you can catch the cats in action as they eye their prey in the water and lunge forward in attack. It's a sight you'll all remember forever."

He was right, it was a sight that they wouldn't be able to forget. They saw small but ferocious leopard cats, the playful and noisy small-clawed otters, a pair of Indian Gharials and the largest bat in the world - the Malayan flying fox.

Hermione and Draco were entranced by the beauty of the animals. Draco's earlier behaviour had vanished, and so they both enjoyed the sight before them. Hermione got so excited whenever she spotted an animal that she kept tugging at Draco's arm, telling him to look at the animal she had spotted. Whenever she did this, Draco felt a jolt in his stomach. He hated himself for it; he did his best to ignore this weird — and yet overwhelming — sensation.

The next trail was called the Leopard Trail. "Sounds pretty interesting," Draco whispered to Hermione. She smiled and nodded her head in agreement.

The buggy slowed down, coming to a complete halt. The trees stood eerily on either side of them, their thick trunks and leafy branches hiding the animals' habitat.

"Why are we coming to a stop?" Roger asked Andi.

"Shhh," he replied in a quiet tone, "you'll see why."

Everyone peered into the trees, waiting for some kind of animal to spring out. They unconsciously held their breath and tried to make the least possible sounds. 

Hermione could hear a faint rustle among the trees. After a while, the noise became somewhat louder. Her heart pounded in anticipation of what she was going to see. What could it be? Without thinking, she laid a hand on Draco's arm. He looked at her, but found her gazing into the trees. He glanced down to where she was holding on to him and reluctantly smiled.

"Oh my goodness," Hermione whispered in awe. Her slight statement made everybody, including Jessie, look at where Hermione was staring. They all gasped in wonder as they saw the scene before them.

A leopard had emerged from the shadowy forest, tearing apart a carcass which was draped lifelessly on a branch of a tree. It stared at them with its yellow eyes, its teeth still gnawing at the dead animal.

The buggy started to move once again, and they had to strain their necks in order to take a last glimpse of the mesmerising animal.

"That was -" Roger breathed.

"- bloody brilliant," Draco finished for him. More than disgusting, Draco had found the sight entrancing. It seemed that everybody felt the same way because they all sat quietly, mouths hanging open in amazement.

"I love Singapore," Hermione said somewhat breathlessly. She couldn't believe what she had just seen. It had been like a scene from a wildlife documentary.

"Me too," Draco muttered, "me too."

They looked a rhinoceros in the eye, heard the howls of a pack of striped hyenas, and even watched the giraffes glide serenely across the plain in the still of the night. They were now headed towards the final part of their tour: the tribal performance.

They all got off the Limo buggy, Andi leading the way towards their final destination. "The tribal performance is by the Thumbuakar Tribe, from the rainforests of Borneo," he explained as they approached a huge bonfire. There were many other tourists already seated around the bonfire. They had created a great, big circle.

"I hope you enjoy yourselves," said Andi. "After their performance, dinner will be served. Then you may return to your bus. I'll hopefully see you all next time." Andi bid them all farewell and left them to take their seats.

Violet, Jessie and the guys went to find places to sit; the circle's gaps were scattered so some of them had to split up. Luckily, Draco and Hermione had found a spot which would fit two people. They sat down, greeted the people sitting beside them and waited for the show to start.

Lights all around them dimmed, the Thumbuakar people stepped into the circle. Drums and flutes echoed through the night. The people in the circle started their dance.

The tribal dance, blowpipe demonstrations and fire eating displays completed their night at Night Safari. Draco and Hermione sat completely enthralled by their fluid movements. They enjoyed every second of it, and were a little disappointed when it finally came to an end.

"Which part of the tour did you like best," Hermione asked Draco as they sat near the roaring bonfire, eating their dinner. The both of them were sitting alone. The others didn't want to sit next to the flames, so they retreated into the big tents that were set up everywhere.

"Definitely this," he replied. "The Muggle world isn't that bad after all."

She smiled. "I'm glad you feel that way." Her eyes scanned her surroundings when she suddenly spotted Jessie…with someone else. She was fervently flirting with some guy who just stupidly stared at her as if he couldn't believe his good luck. Hermione noticed that she kept looking over at her and Draco.

Hermione sighed as she realised what Jessie was up to. By flirting with another guy, she was hoping to catch Draco's attention. She was trying to make him feel jealous!

"Just look at what she's doing now," Hermione said in revulsion.

Draco looked and saw Jessie cozying up to some random guy. She looked over at him, smirked, and focused her attention back to the boy in front of her.

"She's trying to make you jealous," Hermione said unbelievingly. "She's impossible."

"The guy seems pretty happy," Draco chuckled.

"But why should he be?! He doesn't even know her!" she exclaimed. "It's just because of what she's wearing and…and…and her big chest!" Hermione said. "That's all guys go for. Just looks." Draco laughed out loud as she said this.

"I don't find anything funny," Hermione said defiantly, her cheeks flushing. She felt embarrassed when he laughed at her that way. She felt as if she were growing smaller and smaller when it happened. 

He sighed and shook his head. He placed his plate on the ground and turned his body around so that he was facing her. "Come here," he said, gesturing her to come forward.

"What do you mean 'come here'!?" Hermione said, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"Oh for Merlin's sake…" He took Hermione by the shoulders as a small squeak escaped her lips, and pulled her forward. He trailed his fingers from her cheeks to her hair. He could feel her blush and couldn't help but smirk. He gathered up her unruly hair in a ponytail, held it with one hand and faced her. Hermione didn't want to look at him. She didn't know what to say! And anyway, if she looked up, her face would be much too close to his. Her heart started to beat wildly at this thought.

Draco saw her eyes dart back and forth across the ground — she was nervous and embarrassed. "There," he said coolly, pulling her face back so that the distance between them increased, still holding onto her ponytail with one hand.

Hermione looked at him, feeling more comfortable that his face wasn't as close anymore. She searched his eyes for some explanation of what he was doing. She had been so surprised by his sudden actions that she couldn't voice out her words.

"There's nothing wrong in impressing a guy," Draco explained, looking deeply into her eyes. "Sure, what's inside counts, but guys also enjoy looking at — let's say - pretty girls." Hermione snorted.

"Look," he said, holding onto her ponytail, "you could look a lot prettier — not that you're ugly or anything," he added quickly as he saw her mouth open in indignation, "if you did up your hair like this, or dressed up once in a while."

"What are you trying to say?" Hermione said in confusion.

"I'm trying to tell you that there's nothing wrong in dressing up — like Jessie. There's nothing wrong in showing that you're a woman." Draco let go of her brown curls and leaned back, watching her face as a flow of emotions ran across her features.

Draco's words hit her like a blow to the head. She knew that he was in a way right about her: she was shy to blossom, to show off that she was a woman. It was humiliating that Draco was the one to tell her all this. She turned to stare into the crackling flames, feeling uncomfortable to meet Draco's gaze after what he had said.

Draco smirked, feeling immensely proud that he had been the one to tell her all of this. Draco knew by now, how shy she was about herself. He knew how gorgeous she could be if she wanted to…if only she could break out from her cocoon.

The tour had finally ended, everyone had finished their dinner and was heading towards the exit.

"Let's stop by the souvenir shop," Violet said, dragging Hermione along with her. "I've got to buy something that'll remind me about this place."

"Yeah," Draco agreed. "Let's."

"I don't want to go!" Hermione said for the tenth time. "I don't need a souvenir. I'll always remember this place."

"Come on, Granger," Draco teased, "you'll regret not buying one later."

"No I won't, _Malfoy_," she smiled. "You guys go. I'll be in the van." Draco shrugged and followed Violet into the souvenir shop. He looked over his shoulder and saw her walk towards Puvan with the rest of the guys. Jessie, not wanting to be anywhere near Hermione, followed them from a distance.

By the time they left Night Safari, it was 10:15. Everyone was exhausted, so they didn't talk much. They were staring out the window, looking into the black night, or sleeping. Puvan said that they would reach the ship by midnight, one hour before it left the port, so everyone made themselves comfortable for the two hour journey.

The faint light and the continuous humming of the mini-van's engine made everybody feel drowsy. Soon, everyone, except Draco, had fallen asleep, completely worn out. Draco looked at the sleeping Hermione, an expression of discomfort etched onto her face. Her head was uncomfortably leaning back on the seat and she was unconsciously hugging herself for warmth.

Draco licked his dry lips as an idea crossed his mind. He shook his head to get rid of it, but as he looked at her, the urge to do it became stronger. He anxiously looked at the others, making sure that everyone had fallen asleep, and then hesitantly brought his arm around her head.

He paused, making sure that she hadn't woken up.

Ever so slowly, he put an arm under her neck. Then, carefully, he pulled her closer to him so that her head now leaned against his chest. Draco froze as she sighed in her sleep. She adjusted her head comfortably against him, then sat still.

Draco sighed in relief and smiled down at the sleeping figure. Her expression had changed; a small smile rested on her lips. He could tell she was feeling comfortable against him. Draco restrained himself from laughing at this notion. Who would have thought Hermione Granger would find his chest comfy?

With his free hand, he tucked back a few curly strands behind her ear. He couldn't believe what he was doing; he was acting as if he liked her. But for some reason, this didn't bother him anymore. 

Hermione stopped hugging herself, Draco's warm body had done the trick. He smirked as her hands fell limply on her lap. He actually liked the fact that she was comfortably sleeping against his chest; it was an exhilarating feeling.

Deep, deep down, he knew he had started to have feelings for Hermione. But still, he couldn't admit it to himself. He was afraid and excited about these new felt feelings. Was he really falling for her? Once again, Draco dismissed these thoughts. It was too complicated to understand them. He adjusted their position and closed his eyes, listening to her slight breathing.

Soon, he had fallen asleep and Hermione had woken up. When she realised her position, she involuntarily smiled. She didn't dare move. Draco's head was resting on top of hers, his arm carelessly draped over her while his free arm lay limply against his side. She closed her eyes and cuddled her head against his chest; ignoring the mad beating of her heart and the flutter in her stomach.

"I hope I see you all in Singapore again," Puvan said, waving good-bye. "Have a safe trip."

"Bye, Puvan!" they yelled back, as they headed towards the ship. "Thanks for everything!"

By the time everyone got on board and said bye to each other, Draco and Hermione were practically dead on their feet. They dragged themselves towards their rooms, too tired to speak.

"Oh, hold on," Draco said, before going into his room.

Hermione looked at him with sleepy eyes as he took out a small, brown packet from his pocket. He tossed it to her and said, "It's always better to keep something in order to remind you about this place." He winked at her and went into his room before she could say anything.

Eagerly, she opened the brown envelope in which she found a small animal themed bracelet. Hermione's heart soared. Draco must have bought it from the souvenir shop in Night Safari. She put it on her wrist and smiled.

"Thanks," she muttered, staring at the pretty bracelet. She went inside her room, changed, and fell asleep on her bed, holding the arm with the bracelet against her chest.


	19. Identities Revealed

Hermione yawned and luxuriously stretched on her four-poster bed, her mood, exceptionally cheerful. Although her legs ached and her back pained, she was feeling fresher than ever. The tour must have invigorated her senses for she thought she'd be completely wiped out in the morning.

Hermione slowly sat up and leaned against the bed frame, adjusting her eyes to the morning rays that poured through the balcony. It felt like another beautiful day and she didn't feel like wasting her time on her bed — lazying around. At this thought, she sidled towards the edge of the bed and slipped her feet into a pair of fluffy, warm bedroom slippers that she always kept beside her bed.

Suddenly, she paused. Looking down at her left wrist, she saw the beautiful beaded jewellery that Draco had given her - the bracelet that he had personally bought for her. Hermione smoothly took the bracelet off and brought it up to her face, affectionately touching and staring at the animal-like figures which were embedded onto the beads. Hermione truly felt touched. The thought that Draco had given it to her made the bracelet seem all the more special, and just looking at it made her heart flutter. Oh, it was so pretty!

Hermione fondly slid the bracelet back on, got off her bed and shuffled to the bathroom, a small smile resting on her lips all the while.

_Knock. Knock._

Draco slowly laid the newspaper he was reading on his lap, and peered into his bedroom, not really sure whether he had heard someone knock on the door. Sitting outside on the hammock and reading the Daily Prophet was a habit he had started since coming on the cruise. He loved the salty air and the sound of the waves as they crashed against the ship — it made the reading somewhat peaceful… in a weird sort of way.

_Knock. Knock._

This time Draco was sure he had heard it. Sighing, he folded up the paper and grudgingly got off the hammock. He went back inside his room, walked over to the door and opened it.

There stood Hermione, smiling brightly unlike the last time, when she had looked as if she would faint from anxiety. Her cheerful expression, however, turned into pure embarrassment as she continued to look upon him. Draco looked at her in confusion, wondering what on earth was making her feel so uncomfortable. He became even more baffled as he saw a blush creep onto her cheeks.

Hermione averted her eyes from Draco's naked chest and inwardly cursed herself as she felt her cheeks grow hot. Oh, what was wrong with her? It wasn't as if he were completely naked! He was standing there, a puzzled look on his face, with merely a pair of knee-length shorts on. She had seen him like this back in the pool, so what was so embarrassing about it now?

"Well, are you going to stand there all day, or tell me why you're here?" Draco said, his calm tone snapping to Hermione's senses.

_Well, if he isn't self-conscious about baring his chest, then why should I feel embarrassed?!_ Hermione scolded herself. After all, she had seen many boys running around like this. At the pool, at the beach… so many places! Oh, but the situation was totally different this time. This time it wasn't at the pool or the beach. This time it was —

"Oh well, when you're ready to talk, let me know," Draco said exasperatedly. He rolled his eyes and closed the door, chuckling to himself as he caught a glimpse of Hermione's expression of indignation and surprise; her mouth open and ready to protest. 

Hermione's eyes grew wide as he closed the door on her. She stared at the wooden thing momentarily before she pounded on it; ignoring the stares that the people were giving her as they passed by. The nerve of him! How dare he just close the door on her!

"Draco Malfoy," she said, practically yelling, "you open this door this instant!" She furiously knocked on the door and said, "I'm telling you! Open this door right now before I -"

Hermione gasped in surprise as the door suddenly swung open. She looked at Draco, once again out of words, as he grabbed hold of one of her wrists and pulled her inside his room.

"Merlin, woman," Draco said, closing the door behind her, "do you want to wake up the entire ship?"

Hermione wriggled her wrist free and angrily looked up at him; her face flushed and her hair almost standing on end. She drew herself up and burst out, "Who do you think you are!? How dare you close the door on me! Okay fine, maybe you got a little annoyed because I wasn't talking - which I have a very good reason for by the way - but it doesn't mean you close the door on my face. Do you know how rude that is? Don't you know how to treat a lady?"

Draco had known what was coming. He knew it the minute she saw her expression and the way she drew herself up, trying to make herself seem ominous. So, when she had finished her rant, he smiled aloofly and said, "Are you done?"

Irritated by his calm demeanor, Hermione snapped, "No, I am not done you no-good, impertinent, insolent, annoying -"

Draco threw his head back and laughed. "Yes, we all know what I am," he said through bouts of laughter. He shook his head, a small grin plastered across his face, and stepped a little closer towards her, suddenly becoming a little more solemn. "But you forgot to mention smart, charming, witty, and of course handsome…"

"Oh, don't flatter yourself," Hermione retorted, though smiling a little.

"Flatter? Who's talking about flattery?" Draco asked innocently, putting on a good show of not understanding what she was talking about. "I was telling you the facts. I'm surprised you didn't figure it out yourself Miss I-know-it-all," Draco joked.

"Oh please... I'm sure no one can look past your arrogance and through that big head of yours."

"Oh that hurt," Draco said in an injured voice, "But you're wrong."

"Oh, really?"

"Really," Draco said seriously, making Hermione stifle a laugh.

"And how so?" 

Draco cocked his head to one side and sighed, "How to put this lightly?"

He was putting on such an act that Hermione couldn't help but smile. She was getting more and more attached to him that it almost frightened her. What was happening? No matter how much she tried to ignore it, she couldn't help admit the fact that she was attracted to him. Something about him made her feel scared and excited at the same time. She would feel her stomach do flip-flops whenever he came near her, and her heart would madly beat against her chest if he so much as touched her briefly, but what did all of this mean!? She couldn't possibly… like him, could she?

"Jessie is a living proof of how wrong you are!" Draco said confidently. He towered over her and smirked. "She practically worships me, that girl. The first thing she noticed was my bloody good looks and she literally fell for my charm." He folded his arms across his smooth chest and shook his head. "Imagine that. Great Hermione Granger proved wrong by her dear old worst enemy." Draco nearly laughed out loud.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Save the dramatics, Draco. Jessie is a girl who would go for any guy, including an egoistic jerk who thinks he's 'king of the world'," she said haughtily, pushing Draco aside so that she wasn't trapped between him and the door. However, her fingers instantly recoiled the moment they touched him. The fact that she had actually touched his smooth bare chest made her cheeks feel as if they were on fire. How it had felt! Smooth, warm, hard… Oh, this was wrong! She shouldn't be thinking of such things.

"And for god's sake, Draco," she added, not trusting herself to look at him, "put on a shirt before you…um…before you -"

"Before I poke _your_ eye out?" Draco asked, smirking as she flopped herself onto a couch. He had seen her fingers shrink back the moment they had come in contact with his skin. He had also noticed the way her cheeks became red when it had happened. Draco himself felt a shiver run through his spine at the touch. If their slight contact resulted as such, then what would happen if they made full contact? What if they kissed?

"Not my eye!" Hermione said defensively, sighing in relief as she watched him shrug on a white shirt.

"Alright, alright," Draco laughed, buttoning up his shirt. "Happy now?"

"Very," she smiled, nodding in approval.

"Well, as long as you're happy," Draco said somewhat sarcastically. He sat himself on a chair opposite to Hermione and looked at her questioningly. "So tell me," he said, casually ruffling his hair, "why do I have the honor of your company so early during the day?"

"Oh well, I thought we'd go for breakfast… together," she added, anxiously biting on her lower lip. When she saw his eyebrow shoot up, she blushed in embarrassment and quickly said, "I mean as friends! I mean… we are friends now, aren't we?"

Draco smiled inwardly. Never in his life had he thought that he would become friends with Hermione Granger. If someone had told him this a few years ago, he would have personally taken him or her to St. Mungo's for a mental check up. But here he was, sitting in the same room as her and considering her question. They had gone through so much together already that it was impossible to ignore what had happened. He had saved her, protected her, carried her to her room, made her lie on his chest so that she would feel more comfortable and even bought her a bracelet! She, in return, had rescued him from Jessie, helped him out on occasions, kissed (though not intentionally) and even hugged him!

Draco looked at her and gave her a crooked smile. "Yeah… we are friends."

Hermione sighed in relief. She was momentarily scared that he would say no after all they had been through; it would have been disappointing if he didn't really care for her. Hermione beamed at him and stood up abruptly. "Well then, let's go! I'm starving."

Draco laughed, "You're always hungry."

Hermione went over to him and playfully smacked his arm. "Not funny," Hermione said, though smiling a little. "Come on! Let's go."

He shook his head and said, "I don't want to. I want to sit here and have breakfast. I'm fed up of having it at the Breakfast Lounge."

"Oh, but there are so many other restaurants where we can have breakfast! We can go to some new place."

"No thanks. I'd much prefer ordering in," he said calmly. "It's a nice change once in a while." 

Hermione's shoulders fell in disappointment. "Oh," she muttered. She looked at him, trying her best not to seem unhappy, and said, "It's okay. I understand. Not a problem." She smiled and made a move towards the door when she felt his hand gently take hold of hers. She turned and looked at him curiously.

"Now, where do you think you're going," he smirked, a playful gleam in his eye. "I didn't say you can't join me and anyway, you promised to teach me how to use the telephone."

"So, all I have to do is press on the numbers, wait for someone to speak, and order my food?" Draco asked, looking at the Muggle contraption with interest.

"Yeah… pretty easy, right?" Hermione said amusingly, watching silently as he inspected the telephone from every angle. She sighed and shook her head in disbelief.

"What?" he said, placing the gadget on his lap.

"You're really unpredictable, you know that?"

"Why, thank you. I'll take it as a compliment."

"No, really," Hermione emphasized, "you are! I mean you were the last person I thought I'd teach to use a telephone." She laughed, "Imagine if I tell Harry and Ron? Oh, they won't believe me."

"Too right, so no point in wasting your breath in telling them in the first place," Draco warned. "You tell Potter and Weasley, and I'll tell them how you threw yourself at me at the bird park."

Hermione blushed and replied indignantly, "I did not _throw_ myself at you! And anyway, you didn't seem to mind. You hugged me back, remember?"

"Getting off topic, here," Draco said quickly, trying to change the subject. "Now tell me if I'm doing this right." Hermione, who had started to get uncomfortable about the topic herself, gladly dropped the subject and made sure he wasn't doing anything stupid.

Violet pushed a wet strand of hair away from her forehead and smiled at herself in the mirror. Making sure that the towel was safely wrapped around her, she stepped out of the bathroom and went over to her clothes which were neatly laid out onto her bed. Yesterday had been an exhilarating experience for her. Going on a cruise with friends and spending an entire holiday with them just felt good. She was glad she had made an effort to come. Her friends had been somewhat reluctant at first, but she could tell that Roger, Alex and Jake were having the time of their lives.

"Violet," came Roger's sing-song voice, "you in there?"

Violet quickly pulled the t-shirt over head and zipped up her shorts. "I'm coming!" Tying her hair up in a messy bun, she went over to the door and opened it for her friend to come in.

"Hey, Vy," Roger said cheerfully, calling her by her nickname. "Had a good sleep?" Him and Alex walked into her room and shut the door behind them, following behind Violet.

"Yup… I slept like a horse," she laughed, plunking herself onto one of the couches. "Where's Jake?"

"Oh, he's still fast asleep," Roger said, looking quite amused.

"That's right," Alex added, "You should have heard him snore. Unbelievable."

"And mind you, we were outside his room when we heard him," Roger laughed, shaking his head in disbelief.

Violet grinned, knowing very well how Jake's nighttime sounds could be. Roger, Jake and Alex were her everything; she couldn't have asked for a better set of friends than them. She considered them as part of her family, and they thought of her as their little sister. Their relationship was strong; they had been inseparable ever since they were eleven years old. She looked at the two boys before her; her heart swelling with love for the both of them. If it weren't the three boys, her school life would have been boring — her present life would feel as if something were missing.

"Where's the newspaper?" Alex asked, scanning the room to see if Violet had thrown it somewhere.

"Hasn't come yet, but it'll be here soon — oh speak of the devil! Here it comes now."

Violet jumped up from the couch, grabbed a small brown coin which was lying on her dressing table, and hurried over to the balcony, sliding the doors open. The fresh salty air caressed her face and the cool wind blew threw her hair, invigorating her senses. Smiling, she watched patiently as a small, tawny brown owl flew towards her, a folded newspaper in its clutches. The owl's wings were spread wide, effortlessly riding with the wind. The small creature glided across the blue surface of the ocean and smoothly landed on top of Violet's hammock, hooting softly; beadily looking at Violet as if it didn't trust her. Slowly, it uncurled its claws, so that Violet could take the folded paper, and extended its leg; silently telling her, 'It's pay up time!'

Chuckling, Violet picked up the newspaper, held the small coin in front of the owl and said, "Here's your Knut. And don't look at me like that! It's not like I wasn't going to pay you!" The owl hooted appreciatively and took the coin in between its yellow beak. With a great flap of its wings, it flew up and into the air, soaring into the morning sky.

Violet went back into her room and tossed the paper at Roger, who swiftly caught it with one hand. "I was looking at that owl fly and realized just how much I miss Quidditch," Violet sighed longingly. "Just imagine flying over the ocean…oh, what fun!"

"Don't go getting all these wild ideas, Vy," Alex said, smiling at her.

"So what's wrong with a little imagination? It's not like I brought my broom along with me." Violet looked over at Roger and asked, "Anything interesting in the newspaper?"

"Nope. Nothing at all," Roger replied, flipping the pages. "Everything seems back to normal since Harry Potter and his two friends defeated You-Know-Who."

"Thank Merlin for that boy," Violet said solemnly. "Imagine what he's gone through."

"And his friends," Alex piped in, "they helped him all the way."

"What were their names again?" Violet asked.

"Don't remember… the article came out months ago," Roger replied, scratching his head thoughtfully. "I think their last name were Graner and Wealey."

"He must be very lucky to have friends like them," Violet said somewhat enviously. "Merlin, bless all three of them."

Once Draco and Hermione had finished their breakfast while watching television, they decided to go out and meet up with their friends. Although he didn't show it, Draco was thoroughly impressed with the Muggle device which Hermione called 'television.' It was something much more interesting than the telephone and he had enjoyed pressing random buttons much to Hermione's annoyance.

"Just stick to one channel, Draco!" Hermione had said in disbelief, trying to take the remote control away from him. "You're supposed to watch one channel! Not just flip through them!"

"That's no fun," Draco replied coolly. "I want to watch them all at once."

"You can't watch them all at once. You choose what you want to see and stick to it!" But Draco had ignored her and pretended that he couldn't hear a word she was saying. He had continued to press the buttons just to irritate her; secretly enjoying how she got all worked-up.

Hermione and Draco walked along the corridor, heading towards Violet's room. They had checked Jake's room, but he was sleeping, and Alex and Roger didn't seem to be in their rooms, so they had decided to check up on Violet; Hermione silently hoping that Jessie wasn't there with her. 

"We've got only few days left on the cruise," Draco said suddenly, breaking the awkward silence that had somehow formed.

"Three days to be exact," Hermione reminded him. She gave him a sideways glance, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "So, what's going to happen afterwards?"

"What do you mean?" He cocked up an eyebrow and turned his head to look at her.

"I mean what are we going to do?"

"We?"

"Are we going to go back the way we were? When we go back… are we going to pretend that nothing has happened between us?"

Draco furrowed his eyebrows together. He hadn't really thought about it. Could he — or more specifically, would he — ignore what had happened? Their relationship was new and for some reason, frightening. He didn't know why, but he was afraid of what might happen if he kept her in his life any longer.

"I haven't really thought -"

But a clear voice cut him off mid-way. Somewhere around the corner, a boy was laughing and saying, "No way! Jessie would never do that! You come up with some really crazy theories sometimes, Violet."

"Alex! I'm not joking! I've got feeling she used the Amorodor on Draco. That's why she was so upset when she lost her perfume — it was the love perfume!" Violet, Roger and Alex turned around the corner and nearly bumped into Draco and Hermione, who were standing rooted to the spot, gazing at them; completely dumbstruck.

Draco and Hermione's jaws fell open in shock as they overheard their conversation. They knew about the love perfume - they knew what it was called! They're knowledge about Amorodor could only mean one thing: Violet and the boys weren't muggles at all.


	20. A Kiss Attempt

Hermione and Draco had gone through a lot during the cruise, and had even found out some interesting (and surprising) information together. Both had figured out about Amorodor and the true identity of Jessie — you'd think that they'd had enough of surprises for one trip. But events such as these never seemed to cease, and Hermione and Draco were constantly overwhelmed by the information they had come to know.

They stood with their eyes wide, their mouth open in revelation as they took in what they had just overheard. Violet and the guys weren't Muggles at all! They were like them; witches and wizards! Draco turned his head to look at the girl standing next to him and saw that she was in complete shock as well. Draco himself couldn't believe what he had just heard… Who would have thought?

"Draco? Hermione? Are you guys feeling alright?" Violet looked at her two friends in concern. They were staring at her and the boys as if they were some sort of mutated alien-creatures; their expression dazed as if in shock. Frowning, Violet stepped forward and gently laid a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Is there something wrong?"

Hermione looked at her friend in disbelief. "You guys are…you all are…" Hermione mumbled on, completely at a loss for words. How had she not known? She should have figured it out when she had discovered that Jessie was a witch. She stared at the three of them, wondering how on earth she should tell them that she and Draco weren't Muggles either.

"What is going on?" Alex exclaimed, perplexed at Hermione's sudden relapse. Draco rolled his eyes. Typical of Hermione to go all dumbstruck when she hadn't figured out something by herself. Coolly, Draco slid his wand out from his back pocket. Smirking at the awestruck faces before him, he pointed his wand towards Violet and muttered, "_Albusrosa!_"

A pretty white rose stemmed from the point of his wand, its petals blooming with pure brilliance as they uncurled themselves. With mouths hanging wide open, Violet and the boys stared in shock at the snow-white rose. Ever so slowly, Violet reached out with a trembling hand and took the rose gently between her fingers. She looked at Draco's expression of triumph and turned her head to face Hermione who had a small smile resting on her lips.

"Well, well, well…." Draco smirked, lowering his wand. "Guess we all have some explaining to do now, don't we?"

Everyone suddenly saw each other in a different light. Finding someone's true identity made that person seem a whole lot different. They had all returned to Violet's room to discuss it all in private, and once she had closed her room door behind her, she pulled out her wand and smiled. "Unbelievable…"

Draco, Hermione, Alex, Roger and Violet all stood facing one another; each one of them clutching onto their own wand. After a moment of silence, they suddenly burst out laughing. Hermione and Violet hugged each other, Roger thumped Draco's back — they were all overwhelmed. The thought that they had spent a whole week together thinking Violet and the boy were Muggles and vice versa was absurd and hilarious to its extreme!

Once they had all calmed down and had slowly swallowed the fact that they had something in common, they settled themselves on the couches and talked, and talked, and talked….

"So which school did you guys go to?" Hermione asked eagerly, still unable to fully swallow the fact that they were all indeed witches and wizards.

"Salem's Institute of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Violet replied proudly. "Our second home…"

"Which school did you both go to, then?" Alex asked.

"We went to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Draco replied, his words lacking enthusiasm. He was mumbling about not having much good memories about the place, when Hermione chirped in.

"Hogwarts was a wonderful school!" Hermione said happily, "It was where we grew up, you know…made new friends, learned new things…"

"Oi! You must have known Harry Potter!" Roger exclaimed. "Read it in an article somewhere. You must have seen him with his two best friends. Can't remember what their names were…only a few articles mentioned them. A pity, really. They deserved as much credit as Harry Potter."

Hermione blushed fiercely. "Oh, well you see…"

"You're looking at one of them right now," Draco added without hesitation, receiving a small scowl from Hermione. He leaned back on the couch, rested his right ankle on his left knee and folded his arms across his chest as he watched Violet and the guys jump up in delight — as if they had just met some big celebrity. He wanted to disappear into the couch. He hoped with all his might that they wouldn't recognise him. His father, being a Death Eater, had been all over the news and Malfoy was a well known name in the wizarding world. He didn't want his new friends — people whom he actually cared about for the first time - to get the wrong impression of him.

"Hermione Granger! Of course!" Violet shrieked in delight. She smacked Roger's head and exclaimed, "For Heavens sake, Roger! It wasn't _Graner!_"

"How could we have not known?" Alex said in wonder, ruffling his hair in distraught.

Hermione smiled shyly. "Well, you thought of us as Muggles," she said comfortingly. "It's not your fault you didn't recognise me."

Draco silently watched as Hermione told them all about Potter and his other sidekick, Weasley. He rolled his eyes as he saw that the other three were completely absorbed in her tale — sitting at the edge of their seat and listening to each and every single word that rolled out Hermione's mouth. However, he was grateful that the topic hadn't turned towards him. He tried to blend into the background, avoiding all the questions directed towards him.

Groaning and stretching on her bed, Jessie grudgingly sat up and yawned. She sleepily rubbed her eyes and rested her head against the head board, silently looking around her room when last night's events came crashing down on her. Jessie sighed in frustration as she recalled them. Nothing, _absolutely nothing_, had gone right for her. She had lost her treasured perfume, completely blew it off with Draco and had even witnessed the most disgusting scene in her life: Draco gently taking hold of Hermione's hair, their faces merely inches apart. She had watched in horror as his fingertips brushed against her cheek, trailing down Hermione's neck and into her hair where they held it into a pony tail. Her insides had burned with jealousy as she saw him say something to Hermione, making her blush.

She didn't understand why and how Draco resisted her charms. What was so special about Hermione that made him go after her anyway? The fact that she had not succeeded lit a fire within Jessie — a whole new wave of ideas was rolling through her head. Draco was the first person that had somehow defied her and because of it, she wanted him even more.

She recalled seeing Hermione with a rather handsome-looking sailor a few days back…Why not use him to her own advantage? She smiled in satisfaction — her mind dancing with joy as she mentally laid out her plan. "This better work…"

"I really can't believe we're leaving the day after tomorrow…" Violet said, nibbling on her eggs and toast. "It's gone by so fast."

"Tell me about it," Roger said between a mouthful of scrambled eggs. "I can clearly remember the feeling of first stepping on to the ship. It seems like it were yesterday…"

All of them were sitting and having their breakfast in a place called 'Toast'. Hermione and Draco, who had already eaten as much as they could back in Draco's room, gladly gave them company as they ate. The atmosphere was a whole lot different since they had last eaten together. This time they weren't hiding anything. This time they wouldn't have to be so cautious with each other — afraid that they would reveal their magical abilities by mistake.

"I heard there's going to be a formal celebration held tomorrow night," Roger proclaimed. "Like a farewell party."

"I heard too!" Hermione squealed in delight. "Of course, I did a lot of research before I came here, so I know the schedule, the events, the facilities, the -"

"I'm sure, Hermione," Draco cut in, rolling his eyes. "There is absolutely _nothing_ you don't do research on. You've probably even looked up how to get on everyone's nerves, because you're doing a fine job right now."

Scowling, Hermione snapped, "At least I'm well informed unlike you, you ignorant little git."

"Calling me a 'git' really hurt my feelings," Draco said sardonically, sighing at her petty insults. He leaned towards Hermione's ear and whispered, "You've got a _dirty_ little mouth, haven't you? Calling me names like 'jerk' and 'flirt' — you really know how to get under my skin."

Hermione shuddered as she felt his lips nearly graze her ear — just teasingly near enough for her to feel the heat rise up to her cheeks; for her emotions to go haywire. She watched as Draco leaned back, his stupid, trademark smirk plastered across his face. She scowled at his sarcastic remark and stood up abruptly. With her nose held high, she spat, "Well, I'm going to go and find out what time it is going to be held."

"Oh for heaven's sake, Hermione, sit down — you'll find out later. They'll be sending out invitations anyway," Violet said incredulously.

"No, it's ok. I see Bob standing outside, so I'll ask him. And anyway…I can't stand _his_ company right now." With one last glare at Malfoy, she stalked off towards the glass doors, where Bob was patrolling around at the moment.

"_Bob?_" snorted Draco. "Who the hell is Bob?"

Roger, who now knew all about Hermione and Draco's past enmity, asked, "You guys quarrelled like this for seven years?"

Jealously eyeing the sailor who was talking with Hermione, Draco muttered, "It was worse… much worse." The two other boys whistled, shaking their heads as if they couldn't believe their ears. They said something to him, but Draco wasn't listening. He was carefully watching the sailor Hermione was eagerly talking to. Something was amiss, but Draco couldn't put his finger on it. There was something disconcerting about this Bob's eyes. He seemed not to pay attention to a word Hermione was saying and instead was looking at her with an expression of longing. Draco frowned. What was really going on between those two? Without taking his eyes off the pair of them, he asked, "How does Hermione know this sailor?"

"Oh, she met him on the first day aboard the ship," Violet's voice came from behind the newspaper she was reading. "That's what she told me anyway."

Without warning, Draco felt a wave of resentment course through him as he spotted Bob sensually slide his hand up Hermione's arm to rest on her shoulder. For some reason, he couldn't bear to watch another man touch her the way Bob just did. She was so naïve, so innocent and pure that it just seemed wrong. He wanted to look away, but couldn't bring himself to it — and lucky for Hermione he didn't, because at that moment, Bob had taken her hand in his and pulled her towards an empty corridor, much to her shock and surprise.

Draco, who hadn't missed the expression of fear momentarily wash over her face, immediately got up, startling everyone around the table.

"What's going on, mate?" Alex asked in disbelief, picking up his piece of toast that had fallen on the parquet floor.

"I'll see you guys later," Draco said quickly, making his way around the tables as fast as he could. He hoped that Bob hadn't gone too far — he wanted to give him a piece of his mind.

"Oi! Draco! Where the bloody hell are you going?" Roger yelled out. But Draco didn't reply. His eyes were fixed — his mouth set. Only one word was running through his mind as he finally ran past the glass doors: Hermione.

Hermione uncertainly looked up at Bob, who had slowly snaked his hand up her bare arm, and gasped in surprise. His eyes were filled with desire and his face wore an expression of deep love. Bob — her new friend who couldn't possibly have fallen in love with her — was gazing at her as if she were his prized possession.

"Erm…Bob? Are y-you okay?" Hermione asked timidly, his intense stare frightening her a little.

"Hermione," he whispered, still staring at her lovingly, "I think I'm in love with you."

"W-what?!" Hermione stuttered in alarm, slowly taking a step back. But before she knew what was happening, Bob had taken hold of one of her hands and was pulling her towards an unknown corridor, the bleak walls staring at her as if they knew what was to come.

Terrified, Hermione started to struggle against his fierce grip. "Let go of me!" she demanded shrilly, frantically trying to wriggle her wrist free. But he ignored her and continued to walk on, his hold on her never wavering. "Bob, what's gotten into you? Let go of me, please….you're hurting me!" Hermione whimpered as he pulled her along. Her heart was pounding against her chest and the pain on her wrist started to travel up her arm. Panicking more than ever, Hermione decided to do the unenviable and use her wand against the Muggle. But as she pulled put her wand and was about to cast the 'Body-Locking' spell, Bob stopped, turned around and pushed her up against a wall.

Hermione yelped in surprise, her wand clattering to the floor — the sound resounding in her ears. She felt Bob pin her arms against the cold wall behind her, never taking his eyes off hers. "I don't want to hurt you, Hermione," he muttered breathily, "I'd never hurt you." He leaned in for a kiss, but Hermione had turned her head and he ended up kissing her cheek.

"Stop it! Bob, please, you're not in the right state. Please, let go!" Hermione kicked, shook her head vigorously, tried to release herself from his grip but to no avail. However, it did stop him from trying to kiss her — her jerky movements prevented him from even bringing his face near hers.

"I love you….just one little kiss…"

"Lay off me!" Hermione yelled with all the energy she could muster. Her strength was slowly fading away, and the mere thought of not being able to fight back made a shiver run through her body.

"I think the lady asked you to step back."

That lovely familiar voice sent a wave of relief through Hermione's body. She immediately ceased to fight back and turned her head to the side so that she could look at that face that she had grown so accustomed to.

Draco briskly walked towards the pair of them, his fringe delicately shading his eyes, which were filled with anger, jealousy… and worry. At that very moment, Draco realized that he very much cared about what happened to her, but the question he kept asking himself was 'why'? How could he just suddenly care about a person who he had hated for almost his entire life?

Setting his thoughts aside, he focused on the task at hand. Bob had still not moved — he still held onto Hermione's hands, his face much too close to hers for his liking. Draco frowned and said darkly, "The girl asked you to step away, so I advise you to lay off."

"Draco! He's not in his right mind," Hermione said quickly. "We've got to reason with him!" Bob was attempting to kiss her once more and Draco was afraid he would succeed in doing so this time. Hermione strained her neck away from him as much as possible, closing her eyes so that she couldn't see the lust-filled eyes that couldn't possibly belong to the Bob she had gotten to know.

Bob never even got his second chance. Once Draco had gotten close enough to them, he clenched his fist and punched Bob's lower jaw with all his might; the blow knocking him to the floor. He lay sprawled at Draco's feet — completely knocked out of consciousness. Smirking, Draco took a step back and rolled his shoulders. He looked down at the sailor and sneered, "I told you to lay off."

Hermione massaged her wrists and timidly went to stand next to Draco, his tall frame providing her with comfort and security. "Well, that wasn't my idea of reasoning with someone, but…"

"You've got a talent of throwing yourself into trouble, don't you?" Draco snapped, turning his head to the side so that he was looking straight into her eyes. "Can't you go through one day without getting into a problem?"

"W-what?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"You heard me," Draco said angrily. "Do you like being in dangerous situations all the time? Or do you like the thrill of it? I mean, seriously," he lectured, "can't you try and not get yourself into trouble?"

Hermione looked at him with hurt and disbelief. "You think I _like_ being drowned or to be forced to kiss someone?" Hermione demanded in an injured voice. "I didn't ask for this to happen, you know."

"This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't stormed off to talk to your dear old sailor," Draco scoffed. "Merlin, I don't know how you've even managed to survive these past few years. Did Potty and Weasel check up on you all the time? — Making sure that you stayed out of trouble?"

Tears welled up in Hermione's eyes. The whole incident with Bob had shaken her up, and now suddenly receiving a lecture from Draco Malfoy — about something completely irrelevant — made her feel worse. But she was a strong girl and she refused to give in to her tears. Instead, she whispered dangerously, "You no-good jerk." She took a step back, pointed her finger at him and shouted, "You have no idea what you're talking about, do you? What's you're problem anyway, Malfoy?"

"You're the problem," he shot back. "You wouldn't have lasted one day if I wasn't there to -"

"To what?" she spat. "To save me? I didn't ask you to be my personal body guard, ferret." Hermione quickly looked away as she felt tears run down her cheeks. Unable to hold them back anymore, she turned her back to Draco and wiped them off. "No one asked you to come after me."

Draco's shoulders fell. He had wanted to show his relief, hug her comfortingly after what had happened, but he couldn't. It just wasn't in his nature. He knew he shouldn't have made those remarks about her after being so shaken up, but it was his way of expressing his concern. He didn't know any other way of showing how much he cared about her or how scared he had been for a moment. How he had come to care for this girl he didn't know, but he could not deny it any longer — he cared for Hermione whether or not he understood why.

Without another word, Hermione slowly sat down next to Bob. She shook her head as she spotted the bruise that was now forming below his jaw and gently brushed away a strand of hair. The first thing she thought about when she saw Bob's unfamiliar eyes, was Jessie. There was no other explanation to it — all this was some kind of ploy to break up her 'relationship' with Draco. The incident with Ron and Romilda Vane in her sixth year came crashing down on her, and she sighed grimly. Jessie must have used some kind of technique to make him fall in love with her - the same sort of method that Romilda had tried. Some girls, like Romilda and Jessie, were just too much.

"What's going on here?"

Speak of the devil. Hermione's heart beat with fury as she heard that voice. Anger, revenge and hatred fueled within her — she was ready to give this girl a taste of her own medicine. Jessie had no clue she was messing around with one of the most gifted witches in her generation.

Draco swivelled around and watched as Jessie sauntered towards them — her hips sashaying purposefully with her lips slightly pouted. He gave her an incredulous look and turned around to see Hermione slowly standing up. As she turned around, Draco felt the electricity radiating out of her. Her hair looked as if it were standing on end and he was sure he could hear sparks crackling around her. Her eyes looked murderous — oh, Jessie was in so much trouble.

"Hermione! Well, what in the world were you doing, hovering over the sailor like that? One would think that something was going on between the two of you…"

Hermione, in Draco's opinion, seemed to grow in size. Any moment now, Jessie was going to get it real bad. An angry Hermione was not someone you wanted to be confronted by — she looked absolutely terrifying. Knowing that it was a battle between her and Jessie, Draco gladly stepped away from their paths and stuck to the wall, anticipating for what was to come and preparing for the show.

"All this was your doing, wasn't it, Jessie?" Hermione said in a dangerously low voice. She narrowed down her eyes at her and said, "The Amorodor, what you did to Bob… I mean really, are you so desperate? You love Draco that much? Instead of winning over his heart, you decide to use love potions. You disgust me."

Jessie stopped in her tracks. None of what Hermione had said had registered in her brain except words such as Amorodor and love potions. "How do you know about Amor -?"

"You're messing around with the wrong witch, Jessie," Hermione said triumphantly. "You have no idea of what I'm capable of when someone really gets on my nerves." Hermione smoothly brandished her wand and smirked as Jessie took a step back, astonishment etched across her features. "See, unlike you…" Hermione continued, "I prefer using wands instead of potions."

"And physical abuse," Draco muttered quietly, remembering the time when she had punched him in front of his friends.

"I-impossible…!" Jessie stuttered unbelievingly, taking another step back as Hermione took one step forward.

"Oh, it's very possible," Hermione said smugly, relishing the effect she was causing. "And I'll happily prove it to you." She coolly pointed her wand at Jessie and yelled, "_Petrificus Totalus!_"

Jessie, who had no time to react, fell to the floor like a stiff cardboard — the thud of her body crashing against the floor resounding through corridor.

"That's it!?" Draco said in exasperation. "You're going to get your so called 'revenge' by paralysing her?" He had been anticipating a full-fledge girl fight! He hadn't expected it to be over within a minute!

Hermione gave him an I'll-deal-with-you-later kind of look and walked over to Jessie's unmoving body. Oh, she was far from done with her. Of course, it wasn't in Hermione's nature to bodily harm someone, but she had other things planned for her. She had had enough of her… It was time to teach her a lesson.


	21. Hermione's Red Rose

Hermione stuffed her wand into her pocket and looked down at her enemy's stiff form. Jessie's mouth was open in shock and she looked up at Hermione with wide, unblinking eyes. "Didn't see that one coming did you, Jessie?" Hermione smiled triumphantly. "You had no idea I was a witch." Shaking her head, a small smirk plastered across her face, Hermione turned around and faced Draco, who was casually leaning against a wall — watching silently; perhaps waiting for something to happen.

"I'm impressed," Draco said, pushing off the wall and thrusting his hands into his pockets. "Who knew you could wear my smirk so well."

Hermione immediately let the smirk fall; replacing it with a small grimace. "First of all, I wasn't wearing your smirk, and second of all, I don't appreciate you standing there just waiting for a fight to break out between me and Jessie. It's not some sort of show, Draco."

"Sure it is," Draco replied, walking towards her. "A fight between you and Jessie is a sight no one should miss." He stopped a few inches away from her angry self and cocked his head to the side. "What? You're going to punch me now?" Draco asked mockingly, seeing that her hand was clenched into a fist. "You know, punching people won't solve your problems."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "And you should be the one telling me that since you're the one who knocked Bob out cold, right?" Hermione scoffed. "What, now you're my personal advisor or something?"

"That's right," he answered, folding his arms across his chest. "So I advise you to start thinking about what to do with these two rather than standing there, arguing with me."

Hermione narrowed her eyes down at him and snapped, "You're the one who initiated the argument." After a moment of silence, Hermione turned her back on him and stood over Jessie. Brandishing her wand, she pointed it at Jessie and muttered a spell to undo the body-locking spell.

Seconds later, Jessie's eyes started blinking furiously and she looked up at Hermione with surprise and horror. Her right hand went over her mouth while she pushed herself away from Hermione until her back hit the cold wall; her eyes transfixed to Hermione's wand. "You're a…You're a…" she mumbled from behind her sweaty hand, unable to grasp reality. She couldn't believe this was happening.

"Well, paralyzing her in the first place was completely useless now, wasn't it?" Draco said, coming to stand next to Hermione. "Why'd you stun her if you were going to relieve the spell a minute later?"

Hermione closed her eyes in order to calm herself. "Just go over there and try to wake Bob up," she said through gritted teeth. "I'll deal with Jessie."

"I'm not going over to Bob and try waking him up. What? You want me to whisper in his ear or something? Stroke his hair and see if he comes around? I'm not a bloody Healer. And anyway, what is about to happen here will be much more interesting."

Hermione groaned in frustration. Her eyes flew open and she angrily turned towards him to grab is collar a second later. "Look, Malfoy. I don't have time to listen to your childish whining alright? Just go there and try to wake him up. It's your fault he's unconscious, so go and do something about it!" She let go of him and took a small step back, glaring daggers at the boy in front of her.

"Temper, temper, Granger," Draco chided, a little taken aback by how she had suddenly grabbed him. "You've got to learn how to control that. Count to ten next time you -" Hermione gave him a murderous look and he put his hands up as if in surrender. "Fine, fine… going…"

Sighing in relief, Hermione turned her attention back to Jessie. She seemed to have gotten over the initial shock and was now slowly standing up, her back pressed against the wall; her hand tightly clutching onto her wand. She pointed a shaky finger at Hermione and stuttered, "Y-you're like me…y-you're a -"

"A witch…yes," Hermione completed for her. "Now, I don't have all day, so come on, on to your room." She took a small step forward, but flinched as Jessie flung her arm out defensively; pointing her wand directly at her and nearly poking her eye out.

"Don't you dare come close to me!" Jessie exclaimed. "I won't hesitate to hex you if you take another step forward." She nervously tightened her grip on her wand and moved away from the wall; slowly taking a step back from Hermione.

"Don't you think you've done enough damage already?" Hermione asked incredulously. "Honestly, who do you think you are?! You almost drowned me, tried to make Draco fall in love with you, insulted me, tried to make me jealous, and even put Bob under some sort of love spell. Merlin, Jessie!" Hermione was growing angrier by every word she said. Listing the things Jessie had done made her realize just how cruel Jessie's intentions were. And all this was because of Draco. Because Jessie wanted him for her own, she had decided to get rid of all the obstacles in her way, no matter the cost. Hermione couldn't believe people like Jessie existed — people who cared only for themselves; completely indifferent to another's feelings.

"And now you want to _hex me?!_" Hermione asked dangerously. "After all you've done?"

"What are you going to do about it?" Jessie questioned, trying her very best to sound brave. "Paralyze me again?"

Hermione squared her shoulders and stuck her nose up in the air. "I'm more capable than you think." She quickly pointed her wand at Jessie and exclaimed, "_Accio wand!_"

Jessie had no time to react. She hadn't expected Hermione to pull such an act and yelped in surprise as her wand flew out of her hand and into Hermione's. "Give that back to me!" Jessie exploded, scrambling towards Hermione, hoping to yank her wand out of her hand. But in her eagerness to take back what was rightfully hers, she slipped and crashed onto the floor, grazing her knee against the rough surface.

Draco almost laughed out loud. He knew he should be a little bit concerned about her fall — after all, Jessie was human too — but he felt no such thing. He could not forget all the things she had done and anyway, her expression before falling was absolutely priceless! Shaking his head in amusement, he concentrated at the task at hand. How was he supposed to wake him up?! After a moment of thinking, he shrugged, placed his hands on Bob's shoulder and tried to shake him awake. "Wake up," he muttered under his breath, not believing he was actually trying to wake up someone he had punched moments ago. _I mean, who does that?!_ he thought incredulously. But nothing happened. Bob lay as motionless as ever.

"Draco! What are you doing?" Hermione demanded, seeing that his hands were fisted onto Bob's shirt.

"Trying to wake him up maybe?" Draco said sardonically. "What do you think?!"

"It looks as if you're ready to kill him!" Hermione shot back furiously. "Honestly, can you do nothing right?!"

Draco let go of Bob and stood up. "I'm trying to help you out here," he sneered. "I can't help it if you don't like the way I do things. I told you I didn't want to do this in the first place."

"You know what?" Hermione said, getting tired of arguing, "I'll do it. If that's what's going to make this work then, fine. I'll handle Bob and you take care of Jessie."

Draco smiled in pleasure, enjoying watching Hermione get all pissed off. It felt good to know he was still able to get under her skin once in a while — it gave him some sort of satisfaction. Smirking as she walked past him haughtily, he said, "Well, it's good to know we finally agree on something."

Hermione scowled. "Yes, finally…" she grumbled as she kneeled down next to Bob. She looked up at Draco from her position and said, "Now, make sure that -" Hermione cut off her sentence mid-way when she realized Jessie wasn't where she had left her. She looked forward and yelped, "She's running!"

While Draco and Hermione were too busy worrying about themselves, Jessie had taken her cue to leave. She hated leaving her wand behind with Hermione, but she had no other choice. She didn't want to wait and see what Hermione was planning to do with her and anyway, she could get her wand back later on with the help of her friends. Ignoring the sharp pain in her knee, Jessie slowly stood up; not wanting to attract any attention. She didn't dare move until the both of them were looking the other way, and when she finally got her chance… she ran.

Draco swivelled around and saw Jessie running down the empty corridor. She was already half-way down when he started chasing after her, quickly gaining momentum and hence swiftly catching up to her. Once he was finally near enough, he reached out and grabbed on to her wrist; pulling her backward in order to get a better grip on her.

"Get off me!" Jessie yelled, thrashing furiously as Draco somehow managed to get his arms around the girl. He turned her around so that her back was pressed against his chest and then encircled his arms around her so as to restrict her movements. Jessie struggled to break his grip, but to no avail. Her arms were pinned to her sides and Draco's hold on her was strong — she knew it was hopeless to fight. It would just drain her energy in the process.

"And where do you think you're going?" Draco whispered against her ear, causing a shiver to involuntarily run down her spine. "Hermione, there, has some unfinished business with you."

"So let her deal with me," Jessie spat. "I'm not afraid."

Draco chuckled. "Well, you soon will be. She's terrifying when she's angry."

"She may be able to scare you, Draco, but that's not going to happen to me." Jessie tried to break his grip once more, but it only made him strengthen his hold.

"She doesn't scare me," Draco replied swiftly.

"Yeah right," Jessie laughed. "If you weren't scared, you wouldn't be doing her dirty work."

"I'm not doing her _dirty work_," Draco sneered into her ear.

Jessie smiled mischievously; a plan formulating in her head. "Aren't you?" she asked playfully. "Then what exactly are you doing, Draco? Helping her?"

"I don't know what you're trying to imply, but you better -"

"Don't you see?" Jessie cut in. "You're letting her boss you around." She nodded her towards Hermione and Bob and added, "And if you ask me, those two seem to have something going on."

Draco looked upon the two of them and felt his heart pound against his chest. A mixture of jealousy and something else which he couldn't quite place rushed through him, making him wonder just what the hell was wrong with him. He watched carefully as Hermione cradled Bob's head on her lap, slowly stroking his hair as if it would make him feel better. He hated himself for it, but he couldn't help but wonder how it would feel if she had done that to him. He could nearly feel her softly brushing away his strands of hair while she cradled him; whispering soothing words down at him. 

"I thought she loved you," Jessie went on, seeing that Draco had turned silent. "But it looks as if she's grown fond of him, doesn't it?"

When Draco didn't reply, Jessie said, "Admit it, Draco. You're being pushed around by _her_ and doing absolutely nothing about it. I don't even know why you're holding me back. Why? Because she told you to?"

Draco suddenly realized what Jessie was trying to do. He couldn't believe he was being made a complete fool by none other than Jessie! She was trying to turn him against Hermione — to make him feel as if Hermione was just using him. If he had let his pride over run him, he was sure he would have let Jessie go free — precisely according to her plan. To prove to her that he was not being pushed around, he would have tried to defy Hermione by setting her loose.

"I'm not doing this because she told me to," Draco snarled. "I'm doing this because she probably won't be able to handle someone like you." Without another word, he brandished his wand and pressed the tip against Jessie's throat, causing her to let out a small gasp of surprise. "You say another word and I swear I'll -"

"Draco!" Hermione yelled out happily. "He's waking up!"

Bob's eyes fluttered open and he groaned in pain as he felt his jaw sting. He winced as a hand gently touched the side of his jaw, groaning as his vision cleared and things came into focus. "Where am I?" he mumbled, slowly massaging his head. "What happened?"

"Bob!" Hermione exclaimed in relief. "How do you feel? Are you experiencing any dizziness? Does it hurt?" she asked as she softly brushed her fingers over the swollen bruise that had now formed.

"Of course it hurts," Draco said matter-of-factly, walking over to the both of them and pulling Jessie along with him. "I hit him after all." Hermione waved him off and held up three fingers in front of Bob, causing Draco to roll his eyes. "Oh, you can't be serious…"

Ignoring his snide remarks, Hermione asked, "Bob, how many fingers do you see?"

The young sailor groggily looked at her and mumbled, "Erm…three…?" Hermione nodded her head in satisfaction and helped him to sit up. Bob felt his jaw and asked, "What happened?"

"Well…" Hermione said, looking at Draco for help. "You…erm…"

"You collided with her," Draco quickly added, pushing Jessie forward. "She was running around the corner when her head collided with your jaw." Jessie nudged him, but all he did was smirk. "Now, now, Jessie," he chuckled. "Why don't you apologize for banging into him?"

Jessie's lips curled into a sneer. "I will not apologize for something I haven't done," she growled, desperately trying to fight Draco off. "Now, let go of me!"

Bob gradually stood up, flexing his jaw to check if it hurt when he moved it. "It's alright," he said, rubbing his chin. "Technically, it isn't her fault. I'm sure she didn't mean to knock me out." He smiled at Jessie and gave her a small wink. "Are you alright?"

"Oh yeah," Jessie muttered sarcastically. "I'm being held back by him and being bossed around by her… I'm feeling great. I feel like flowers and stuff like that -"

"Well, we better get going," Hermione interjected, laughing nervously. "Got to get back to our rooms… Will you be okay?"

"Yeah," Bob replied. "You guys go on." He motioned for them to go and smiled encouragingly at Hermione, who still looked a bit concerned. "Don't worry. I'll be fine!"

"Alright," Hermione said, returning the smile. "I'll see you later then." She turned around and faced both Draco and Jessie, ready to finally get this over with. "Come on," Hermione said smugly, taking hold of Jessie's ear. "I don't have all day to clean up your mess!"

Draco let go of Jessie and watched in amusement as Hermione pulled her along by her ear, eliciting small gasps of pain from the girl.

"This is wrong!" Jessie yelped as she was pulled along. "I demand you to let go of my ear right now!" She tried to pull away, but it just made Hermione twist her ear more painfully. "What will people think when they pass us?!" she moaned. "You're embarrassing me!"

"Stop complaining," Hermione said. "If you continue to struggle like that, I'll make sure you get humiliated in front of everybody. Now, come on!"

Bob watched them walk away in bewilderment, wondering what on earth was happening. "What's up with those two," he asked Draco, scratching his head in confusion.

"I don't know, but I sure don't want to miss out on the action," Draco replied happily, rubbing his hands in anticipation. Smirking, he said a quick good-bye to Bob and trailed after the two witches; quietly laughing to himself as he listened to them bicker. It really was a sight to see. Hermione pulling Jessie by the ear, while the other was trying to keep up with her pace, ordering her captor to let go of her — it was something Draco wouldn't be able to forget.

"Yeah, see you," Bob muttered absent-mindedly, slowly taking in his surroundings. He couldn't remember the reason why he had come here — heck, he didn't even know how he had ended up here in the first place! "Brilliant…" he mumbled, running his fingers through his hair. He nearly got his jaw broken and suffers from some memory loss, while the girl got by without a scratch — "What are the odds," he said, taking a good look of his surroundings. Shrugging, he turned around and walked in the opposite direction, wondering what the other guy had meant by missing out on the 'action'. _If it's anything between Hermione and the other girl,_ he thought to himself, remembering Hermione pulling the girl by her ear, _that girl needs all the luck she can get._

"So, you mean to tell me that Jessie used magic to get to Draco?" Violet demanded, a hint of doubt showing on her face. She and the boys had been on their way back to their rooms, when they had spotted Draco, Hermione and Jessie. The guys had pointed and laughed as they watched Jessie getting pulled by her ear, but immediately became silent as they saw the murderous look in her eyes. They had walked towards the three of them and had asked what had happened, but Hermione refused to tell them anything until they had gotten inside Jessie's room.

"That's right," Hermione answered, folding her arms across her chest and looking over at Jessie. "She did all that to get Draco's attention."

Roger nudged Draco lightly and wiggled his eyebrows. "Why, aren't you the chick magnet!" he laughed, causing Draco to shake his head in amusement. "Jessie usually doesn't go this far to get a guy she really likes. You must have something going on for you," he said, giving Draco a friendly thump on the back.

"Look, first of all, I'm not sure whether Jessie really did this," Violet said, looking at all of them. "I mean, she's never done this before! As attractive as you are, Draco, I don't think she'd go _that_ far."

"Why, thank you, Violet," Draco said, bowing slightly; a small smirk resting on his lips, "I'm glad you find me good-looking as well."

"Does everyone suddenly want to inflate his already large enough ego or something?!" Hermione asked in disbelief, rolling her eyes at Draco's arrogance. "Honestly…!"

"What I mean to say is that you don't really have any proof that Jessie is behind all this," Violet explained. "And I think that's unfair for Jessie."

"You tell them, Vy," Jessie said encouragingly, sitting up a little straighter. "You go on and tell them how unfair it is to accuse someone without any proof."

"Oh, we have proof," Hermione said testily. "Don't we, Draco?"

"Oh yeah," he assured, flopping himself onto one of the couches. "And it's in one of my pockets back in my room."

"You have proof?!" Jessie yelped in surprise, sitting bolt-right up on her bed.

"In your pocket?" Violet asked questioningly, walking over to where Draco was sitting.

"It's still in your pocket?!" Hermione exploded, throwing her arms up in the air in disbelief.

"Just calm down, everyone," Alex said loudly, immediately gaining their attention. "We're not going to get anywhere if we keep arguing like this."

"Alex is right," Roger added, motioning for everyone to sit down. "We won't get this sorted out if we continue this way." He faced Hermione and Draco and said, "Now, tell us what happened from the beginning."

Hermione sighed and sat down next to Draco, still a little disgruntled by the fact that he had just left the Amorodor in his jeans. However, once she had gained their undivided attention, she began to tell them what had happened. She told them about Amorodor and how Jessie had screamed when she couldn't find her perfume, about her actions and what she had done to Bob… It took nearly an hour to explain everything. In the end however, both Draco and Hermione had been able to convince Violet, Roger and Alex that Jessie had been behind all of it.

Jessie, who had been sitting there the whole time, tried to disrupt their conversation; trying her best to make sure that her friends couldn't hear what Hermione was saying. She had denied everything in the end, of course, but it was too late by then — she had lost her friends' trust.

"Alright, fine!" Jessie said angrily, finally giving up. "I did it. I did all of that, happy?"

"No, we're not," Violet snapped, glaring at her friend. "How could you do that?"

"You did all that to get Draco to like you?!" Roger asked incredulously, looking at her as if she had completely lost her mind. "Merlin, Jessie, what's wrong with you?"

"Okay, this is getting awkward for me and for her," Draco said quickly. "The point is that anything like this shouldn't happen again…to anyone … ever."

"You're right," Violet agreed, resting her hands on her hips. "Oh, don't look at me like that, Jessie!"

"Oh, I will," Jessie said furiously. "You guys are supposed to be my friends!"

"And Hermione and Draco are supposed to be yours!" Violet shot back.

"Look, you guys," Hermione said slowly, "the topic's over now. I just want to make sure that it doesn't happen again while we're on the cruise." She looked solemnly at Violet and the guys and said, "I'm sorry about all this. I don't want this to ruin your friendship with Jessie or anything like that."

"Are you crazy?" Alex said, giving her a smile. "She can't get rid of us that easily. We've known each other since our school days. We know how to handle her." He put an arm around Hermione in a comforting way and looked over at Jessie. "Heard that, Jess? You can't get rid of us that easily, nor the other way around."

"Oh, sod off, Alex," Jessie grumbled.

"So what do you propose we do to make sure that _this doesn't happen again_," Violet said sternly.

"Well…" Hermione started. "I thought it would be a good idea to take all her potions and other magical artefacts from her for a while -just until we get off the cruise."

"WHAT?!" Jessie screamed in horror. "No way! You can't do that!"

"I agree with Hermione," Violet said smoothly. "It's the only way to make sure you won't do anything stupid." She walked over to Jessie and whispered angrily, "And I'll be taking care of your wand for a while."

After an hour of thoroughly searching her room, Hermione, Violet and the boys found several different kinds of potion bottles, spiked chocolates, spell books and other sorts of magical equipment stashed underneath her bed, in her drawers and in her cupboards. Jessie screamed and tried to snatch them away of course, but failed miserably. They had to put a silencing charm on her and had to bind her to a chair in order to keep her out of the way.

Once they had collected everything and had put them in a bag, Violet used Jessie's wand to tie the bag up. She slung the bag over her shoulder, stuffed the wand in her pocket and marched out of the room; glaring at Jessie on the way out. "I'll see you guys later," she said and closed the door after her.

Roger sighed and did a counter-spell on Jessie; shaking his head as she yelled at them once the silencing charm had worn off. "Jessie, you've already upset Violet by hiding all this stuff from her and betraying her trust. It's your fault in the first place, so stop yelling."

"Are Laura and Terry in this as well?" Alex asked, trying to stop her from screaming.

"I'm not telling you anything!" Jessie snapped. She ran over to her bed and flopped on to it, burying her face into her pillow. "I never want to see you guys again!"

Hermione looked at Roger in concern, but he smiled and said, "She'll get over it soon. Don't worry about it. But I think we should leave her alone for a while."

"Yes," Hermione agreed, nodding her head slowly. "We should let her think about what she's done."

"Yeah right," Draco muttered. "All she'll be thinking about is what you've done to her."

"Come on," Alex laughed, opening the door for them. "Let her be." He smiled at Hermione and gestured for her to go out first. "After you."

Draco threw open his balcony door and sighed in relief as a salty breeze blew against his face. The sound of waves splashing against the ship and the warm rays of sunlight caressing his face immediately made him feel at ease. He lazily unbuttoned his shirt and took it off, kicking off his shoes in the process before getting on the hammock — groaning in pleasure as he lay down; stretching his arms behind his head. "This is the life…" he mumbled to himself as he closed his eyes; enjoying the feel of the sunrays on his skin.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Draco didn't bother to move. He had heard Hermione opening the door to her balcony, so it had only been a matter of time before she noticed him on his hammock. "I'm tanning," Draco replied with a hint of amusement. "Want to join me or something?"

Hermione blushed, taking her eyes off his chest. "I think I'll pass on that," she replied quickly, sitting down on her own hammock. "I've got better things to do."

Draco opened his eyes and watched as she laid back, opening up a book and starting to read as if it were the most interesting thing on the planet. "You'd rather read?!" he asked, lifting his head up slightly.

"Yes, I would," she said, looking up from her book for a moment. "And I'd appreciate it if you'd burn yourself in silence."

"Fine," Draco grunted. "Stick your nose back in that book of yours and have the time of your life."

"Oh, hold on," Hermione said suddenly, closing her book with a small thud. "Are you going to the Ball tomorrow?"

"The what?"

"The Ball, Draco. The one to which we're all invited."

"There's no Ball tomorrow, woman. Go back to your reading."

"Fine," Hermione snapped. "Act like an ignorant fool and don't show up tomorrow night."

Draco sat up and gave her a what-in-the-world-are-you-talking-about sort of look. "What in Merlin's beard is happening tomorrow night?!" he asked incredulously. "If there was something going on, they'd probably hand out invitations or something. Do I look like I've got one to you?!"

"It looks like you haven't seen the invitation laid on top of your bed," Hermione scoffed, once more opening her book and hiding behind it. "Ignorant little ferret," she mumbled to herself

Draco groaned and reluctantly got off his hammock, making his way into his room to find the so-called invitation. He walked over to his bed and spotted a white envelope neatly placed on top of his pillow, a sprinkle of red rose petals surrounding the invitation. He sat down on the bed and gently picked it up, opening it to find a card the colour of red roses within the envelope itself. Sighing, he pulled out the card and began to read what the beautiful cursive letters spelled out.

_Dear Guest,_

Due to tomorrow being your final night on board this ship, we are hosting a Ball tomorrow evening in celebration of your farewell. It will be an evening that you will not be able to forget and we would very much appreciate it if you should attend.  
Dinner, Desert and Dancing are all included tomorrow evening, so pick out your best suit/gown and join us at the main ballroom from 20:00 onwards!

We hope you have enjoyed your stay here with us and hope to see you again soon.  
Sincerely,  
Captain and the Cabin Crew 

"Well, well, well," Draco muttered, a smirk playing on his lips. "Looks like I've got to find myself a date."

For Hermione, time had passed quickly. She had finished half of her book, had gone swimming with Violet and had even gone to check out the mini theatre with Jake and Roger. She had been so awed by the thought of a theatre on a ship that she couldn't resist not watching a movie for the thrill sake.

Once the movie had finished, Hermione bid the boys good-bye and headed over to the main deck, wanting to have a moment to herself, not really in the mood to go back to her room just yet. She walked till the end of the deck and grasped the cool, metal railing; closing her eyes as a slight breeze washed over her, causing her to sigh out in pleasure. Her eyes fluttered back open and she silently watched as the sky turned orangey-red; the sun had already gone beyond the horizon, giving the blue ocean a slight tinge of red. The view before her was absolutely breath-taking and she was glad hat she was able to witness it.

"Hey."

Hermione swirled around in surprise. She hadn't heard anyone coming up to her and so she gasped as her eyes locked with a pair of silver-gray ones. Draco gave her a weird look and went to stand next to her, chuckling slightly as Hermione muttered a small, "Hey."

"What are you doing?" he asked, staring out into the ocean; his fringe delicately swaying against the wind.

"Just looking," Hermione replied, crossing her arms across her chest. "It feels brilliant just to stand here like this."

Draco looked at her from the corner of his eye; watching quietly as she looked up at the sky — a small smile resting on her lips. She looked…pretty, Draco had to admit. There was something about her that attracted him and to his amazement; he was very much willing to learn more about her. But the very thought of getting attracted to someone such as her frightened him. He didn't know why he felt that way — he hadn't felt like that when he had been with other girls. But then again, Hermione wasn't like any of the other girls.

"I'm sorry."

Hermione's eyebrows shot up and she looked at him questioningly; not trusting herself to believe what she had just heard. "What?"

"You know, about what happened earlier today," Draco said, unable to look at her directly. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. It wasn't really your fault all that happened."

Hermione tried to catch his eye, but soon gave up. "I'm glad you said that," she said smiling. "I was hurt by what you had said, but you saying sorry kind of makes up for it."

"I'm not going all soft on you, you know," Draco said quickly, not wanting to sound like some idiotic pansy. "So don't expect me to be any different from before."

Hermione laughed. "Saying you're sorry doesn't mean you're going soft," she chortled, shaking her head at him. "And I know you'll always be an arrogant jerk." Smiling, she nudged him slightly, making him turn around to look at her. "Does that make you feel better?"

"Oh, a whole lot better," he said, smiling at the girl before him. "You've just made my day."

"Funny," she said quietly, focusing her gaze back on to the ocean. "I'd never even imagined me, Hermione Granger, making Draco Malfoy's day a little more cheerful."

"Oh, but you can make it even more," Draco said, slowly turning her around so that she was looking into his eyes intently. "All you need to say is 'yes'."

Hermione cocked her head to the side; brows furrowed and eyes twinkling with interest. "Yes to what exactly?"

Without another word, Draco slowly pulled out the most beautiful red rose Hermione had ever seen from his jacket pocket; a rose which was in full bloom, its petals the colour of deep red wine. Hermione was struck by its brilliance and was rendered speechless as Draco held it up in front of her; calmly waiting for her to take it in between her fingers.

Her heart thudded against her chest and she could feel a blush creep onto her cheeks as she stared at the rose. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever been given and she wondered why he was giving it to her in the first place. "Draco, I -"

"I was wondering if you'd escort me to the Ball tomorrow evening," he said dashingly, gesturing for her to take the rose. "And I'm not used to being rejected, so…"

Hermione had to laugh. The atmosphere Draco had created was so perfect, so romantic that she didn't know what else to do but gently take the flower from him with trembling fingers. He was such an arrogant fool, but charming nevertheless and at that very moment, Hermione realized her feelings for him. She couldn't yet truly admit them to herself just yet, but she knew they were there.

"This time," she said, twirling the rose between her fingers and smiling up at him, "don't keep me waiting."


	22. The Woman in Red

The slender red-wine rose lay poised beside the animal themed bracelet that seemed to twinkle cheerfully on a small round desk beside Hermione's bed. Soft music made its way through to Hermione's room from somewhere on the ship; the sweet melody causing the witch to close her eyes as the beautiful notes filled her ears. It felt absolutely wonderful to sit there on this bed, with the only source of light in the room coming from the eerie glow of the moon, and just think.

The image of Draco gently pulling out the delicate rose and courteously holding it out in front of her continued to play in Hermione's head. The music playing in the distance seemed to heighten the effect of the scene playing behind her eyelids, because a reluctant smile had crept its way onto her features. She had not expected the arrogant fool to pull off such a charming act — hell, she hadn't even expected him to ask her to the ball, but he had! In the most romantic fashion Hermione could only ever dream of. She had watched such scenes play before her in old Muggle movies and what not, but she had never guessed that it really did happen to some people. People like her, for instance. The smile resting on Hermione's lips became more prominent at that thought.

What seemed to trouble her though was the undeniable fact that she had taken a sudden liking to him. It was impossible to shrug the idea off anymore, and her body, mind, and heart were now ready to accept her feelings towards Draco. How he could suddenly capture her heart (a feat which would have been impossible a few years ago) in a mere week was beyond her. Was it even possible to fall for someone after hating them for almost all their life?

Hermione opened her eyes and furrowed her eyebrows as if in deep thought. She grabbed the pillow lying next to her own and hugged it against her chest; resting her chin on top of it. What if Draco felt the same way about her? What if _she_ had captured _his_ heart? Hermione giggled to herself as she thought about it. Imagine she, Hermione Granger, being able to get someone such as Draco Malfoy interested in her! She shook her head as if she had thought up the most ridiculous thing in the world. The very idea of it seemed preposterous! Draco, she imagined, had gone out with plenty of girls who were nice, had a good figure or were just drop-dead gorgeous. Why should he single her out from all the others he had previously dated?

Ignoring the slight disappointment that had settled within her, Hermione turned her head sideways and glanced at the bracelet Draco had bought for her. It seemed to wink at her as she outstretched her arm and took it between her fingers; bringing it up to her face as if it would tell her what was really going on in Draco's head. What did the bracelet and the rose really mean? Was it an act of kindness (Hermione snorted at the idea), or was there a motive behind it?

Hermione slipped the jewelry on and inspected it from a distance, nibbling unconsciously on her lower lip. Perhaps it really wasn't anything at all. Her friends were right; she did analyze situations too much. Turning so that she now lay on her side, she pressed her wrist against her chest and closed her eyes. It really mightn't be anything at all…

"Draco!" _Knock. Knock. Knock._ "Draco, it's me! Open the door!"

Draco, who had just got out of a shower, hastily wrapped a towel around his waist and walked towards the door; the voice had sounded somewhat urgent. "Who's 'me' anyway?" he asked as he unlocked the door and peeped his head outside. But before he could get a clear glimpse of who it was, Draco was flung against the wall as the door burst open and Violet, practically singing, waltzed into Draco's room with her arms wide open as if to hug the living daylights out of him.

"Draco?" Violet said suddenly when she realized that he wasn't around. "Where are you?"

"Violet!" Draco yelped in surprise, massaging his neck from the wall's impact. "Do you know nothing of privacy?" Violet, who had turned towards the sound of Draco's voice, squeaked in embarrassment — her eyes growing wide as tennis balls as she realized his current state.

"Oh my god!" she shrieked, covering her eyes and turning her back towards him. "Merlin, I didn't know — I'm so sorry!"

"Sure you are," Draco said sarcastically, closing the door and making his way past Violet, who still had her hands pressed against her eyelids. "For Merlin's sake, woman; it's not like I'm completely nude."

"Don't!" moaned Violet in despair. "I'm already embarrassed as it is!" Turning around, her eyes tightly shut, Violet quickly made her way back towards the door; nearly banging herself against the hard wood. Fumbling with the handle, she swung the door open and slammed it behind her, causing Draco to laugh out loud at her antics.

"Let me know, once you've put some clothes on," came Violet's muffled voice. "I'll be waiting outside.

Rolling his eyes with a smirk lingering on his lips, Draco pulled up his shorts and buttoned up his shirt — mumbling a small spell in the process to dry off his hair. He wondered what on earth Violet had to say that made her practically bounce into his room without any invitation.

She was an odd girl, Violet. Friendly, easy-going, and glad to be one of the boys, she always made Draco feel that he was part of their little group. He already felt he shared something close with her and was glad to have met her during the trip. It was almost as if she were his little sister, and the mere thought of it sent tingles through his body. He had never had a younger sibling — someone he could care for or vice versa.

Striding towards the door with a silly grin on his face, Draco opened the door for the flustered girl, who smiled weakly as she followed him back inside. Silently, with an embarrassed look upon her face, Violet walked over to the couch and sat down, to finally look up at Draco, who gave her a small wink.

Sighing at how comfortable he seemed with the whole situation, Violet asked incredulously, "Do you really not care if a girl just waltzes into your room like that?"

"Do tell me, Vy… which guy wouldn't actually mind that?" Draco replied, smirking as he leaned back.

"Oh, let me think," Violet said sarcastically, "Jake, Roger, Alex, and not to mention this other guy who lived close by… and oh, this other boy that I had met last -"

"Violet! I'm only joking!" Draco laughed out loud, shaking his head in amusement. "You didn't seriously think that I didn't, did you? Okay, maybe just a little, but…"

"Oh, alright! You can stop playing around now," she said, rolling her eyes. "You're just like Alex sometimes…"

"I'll take that as a compliment," he said, smiling over at her. "Alright then…what is it that you have to tell me that literally made you bang the door on me?"

"I didn't really bang the door on you," Violet said defensively.

"Oh, right… you _slammed_ the door on me," Draco corrected.

"Did not!"

"Did too."

"Did not!"

"Did too."

"Oh, for Merlin's pants! What in the name is wrong with you today?" Violet said exasperatedly, throwing up her hands in frustration. "No wonder Hermione can't stand you at times… You're completely insane!"

"Merlin's _p-pants_?" Draco spluttered out, ignoring the rest of the words that came out of the witch's mouth. "_Merlin's pants?!_" After a moment's pause, Draco threw his head back and howled with laughter, doubling over when he saw that Violet was trying not to laugh herself.

"Oh, honestly…"

"I'm sorry, Vy," Draco said somewhat apologetically, trying his very best to control his laughter. "I'll calm down now…I won't joke about anymore."

"Well, I do hope so! I didn't get a chance to say what I wanted to."

"Alright then, fire away! I won't interrupt you anymore."

"Well, it's actually about Hermione."

"What about her?"

"Oh, Draco," Violet said happily, "I'm so glad you asked her to the ball tomorrow night. I can tell she's really excited about it. She won't say anything of course, but I can make it out. I know all about it, obviously. About the rose, the way you did it, the -"

"Why am I not surprised you know already? I mean, I only asked her an hour ago," Draco cut in, his tone laced with sarcasm. "You girls talk too much. I mean it's really amazing how it all spreads so quickly."

"How can we not talk about such things? You guys do these marvellous acts sometimes! How can we not gossip about it?" Violet asked incredulously. "And yours was the most dashing one, I must say! My stomach was fluttering just hearing it from Hermione. The poor girl's knees must have given away after you handed her that rose."

Draco's cheeks flushed and his eyes twinkled as Violet relayed the conversation that had taken place between the two girls. He hadn't really thought about the effect his actions would cause, but it seemed that his doings had had a massive impact. According to Violet, Hermione seemed to be happy as cricket and was practically skipping around the room. She reckoned he must have done something absolutely wonderful after all the trouble he had caused earlier that day — Hermione seemed to have forgotten it all.

"And you asking her to the ball like that! It must have come as a surprise to Hermione!"

"Yes well, I have a tendency to shock people," Draco chuckled.

"Anyway, the reason I came here was to congratulate you for finally getting a move on! I mean it was about time," Violet said happily, shaking his hand enthusiastically. "I knew you had a thing for her and it was really about time for that to get through your thick head," she laughed.

"Woah! N-now hold on a second," Draco stammered. "I didn't -"

"You both were too stupid to realize that you guys were practically falling for each other," Violet went on; apparently too caught up with her speech. "I just knew you'd fall in love eventually…"

"Now, wait a second!" Draco exclaimed in horror. "I didn't mean anything like that! I just asked her because there was no one else!" he lied. "I don't love her or anything! That can't happen between her and me, trust me. It's impossible and will never happen so… so don't even think about it!"

"Oh you shy, shy boy," Violet said coyly, pinching his cheeks much to Draco's embarrassment. "Don't worry," she whispered, "your secret's safe with me." And before Draco could say anything, she walked towards the door, gave him a small wink and closed the door slowly after her; leaving Draco completely baffled at the center of his room.

"Crazy little witch," Draco muttered, shaking his head as if trying to forget what Violet had said. "I mean how could I possibly love Hermione? There's no way…"

But Draco was unsure of himself now. Love was such a strong word. It was impossible that he'd grown strong feelings for Hermione… impossible! Seven years of pure hatred couldn't change that drastically over a period of one week. Then, what did he feel? It couldn't be love; there was no question about that, but then what else? Draco pressed his forehead against the cool surface of the balcony door and closed his eyes; his warm breath causing mists to form on the clear surface.

"Impossible…"

"Happy? Excited? Nervous? Scared?" Violet asked Hermione eagerly over their breakfast the next day. They had gone back to sitting at the Breakfast Lounge out of a daily habit and as usual, Violet bombarded Hermione with questions about Draco and how stupid she thought they were for not realizing what was going on between them.

"Do you have butterflies just thinking about tonight? Do you know what you're going to wear? Merlin, what are you going to wear?!" Violet had her elbows on the table and was practically leaning over the table, trying to get a response out of the shy witch.

"Oh, I really don't know," Hermione said unconcernedly, her eyes glued to the Daily Prophet which was cleverly disguised as to not grab the Muggles' attention. "I brought along a couple of ballroom dresses, so I'll try those on later."

"Later on? Are you crazy?" Violet asked, scandalized. "The ball is a few hours away and you still don't know what to wear?"

"It'll take a couple of minutes to choose," Hermione replied calmly, taking a bite out of her toast. "And the ball is nine hours away, Vy! There's no need to worry about all that now."

"What kind of a girl are you?" Violet asked in amazement. "I'd understand if you didn't have a date, but you do! And your date's Draco, of all people. Doesn't that affect you a teensy bit?"

"Well," Hermione said slowly, folding the newspaper and setting it aside, "I guess the fact that he's taking me hasn't really settled. And don't use the word 'date,' Vy… it's not really a date."

"Oh, please! What else would you call it then, hmm?"

"I don't know!" Hermione said, a little nonplussed. "But definitely not a date! Draco and I are not the kind of people who would date each other — no, there's no way." 

"Oh, for Merlin's sake! You guys drive me up the wall! First Draco, and now you! I mean why are you both so shy to admit your bloody feelings?" Violet said in frustration, banging her fists on the table.

"What do you mean, first Draco and now me?" Hermione asked tentatively as she sipped her orange juice. 

"Well, I talked about this whole thing with Draco yesterday night, of course," Violet said without hesitation. "He seemed pretty happy that you were happy," she laughed, "I mean he -"

"You WHAT?" Hermione exploded, spraying Violet with flecks of orange juice and causing several people to mutter in disapproval. "You talked about what happened yesterday with Draco?" she squeaked, hoping what she had heard was wrong.

"Well, yeah," Violet said, wondering whether what she had said was wrong. "What's the problem?" She raised her eyebrows as she wiped her face, looking over at Hermione as if she had suddenly lost her mind.

"Oh no!" Hermione moaned, slumping onto her chair. "Once again, Draco must have thought that this whole thing's 'gone to my head' or something. Two girls, talking about him… Hermione granger talking about him… brilliant! He must have laughed over it."

"Why do you care about what he thinks?" Violet asked cheekily.

"I do not!" Hermione snapped. "I just don't want him to get the wrong idea!"

"Oh, don't worry. It's not like I told him everything we said. I'm not stupid, you know."

"I'm not saying that you are," Hermione said quickly, having not intention in hurting Violet's feelings. "It's just that I don't want him to think we're gossiping about him. I don't want him to think that I'm overly excited — which I'm not, by the way! Oh, you know how Draco thinks!"

"All I know is that he's pretty anxious about tonight," Violet said, smiling as Hermione's expressions softened slightly.

"Oh, how would you know?" Hermione said, dismissing the idea and trying not to seem very interested. "Did he say he was?"

"Draco? Saying that he's anxious? No way," Violet chuckled lightly. "But I can tell these things. One mention of you and his whole face changes."

Hermione laughed, her cheeks flushing. "No way," she grinned despite herself. "Draco couldn't possibly…"

"Aw, come on please, Hermione!" Violet wheedled. "Can't you just admit that you lov — okay, not that," she said quickly, seeing Hermione's mouth open in indignation, "but can't you at least admit that you like him a… a bit?"

Hermione was torn between just saying what she felt, and keeping it to herself. Admitting her feelings to someone else would almost be letting out some sort of forbidden dark secret. She would never live it down if Draco found out. Hermione's heart nearly stopped just thinking about how he would react if he actually _did_ find out…

"I really don't kno -"

"Hermione, I won't tell! Trust me," Violet said earnestly. "There's no way Draco will find out," she continued solemnly as if she had read Hermione's mind. "I promise."

Hermione looked at her friend with distress. If she said what she actually felt, it would change everything! She would never be able to look at Draco the way she used to. All those years of hatred and loathing wouldn't matter at all after she admitted this stupid feeling that had built up over the past few days. Oh how she hated him right now…

"Alright, fine," Hermione sighed in resignation, "I do."

"You do what exactly?" Violet said happily, looking as if she were ready to burst with excitement.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake!"

"Just say it!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and laughed at her friend. She would have to go St. Mungo's for saying this, but… "Alright! I do like him," Hermione whispered clearly, so that only Violet would be able to hear. "I like, not _love_, him," she emphasized. "But only a _teensy_ bit and that's all!"

That was all Violet needed to hear before she yelled in excitement and bounded over to Hermione to give her a big congratulatory hug; nearly knocking the plate of sausages off the table. "I knew it! I knew it!" she said triumphantly, shaking the life out of Hermione. "Now, how hard was that?" 

Hermione wasn't sure how she felt. She couldn't really believe that she had revealed her feelings to Violet and to herself. "I must be crazy, that's what," Hermione mumbled. "How am I ever going to look at Draco the way I used to now?"

"It's not like you've told him or something," Violet said cheerfully. "Besides, you've got nothing to worry about. He'll never know and I'm never going to tell, relax!"

Hermione sighed, "It just feels… wrong. Anyway, let's not talk about it; makes me feel uncomfortable. Who are you going to the ball with then?"

"Roger," Violet said simply. "Didn't really get the chance to meet any cute guys."

"I wish Harry and Ron were here!" Hermione said yearningly. "Things would have been so different then."

"I'd like to meet them one day," Violet admitted shyly. "Have they got girlfriends?"

Hermione laughed at Violet's innocent question. "Unfortunately for you," she chortled, seeing Violet's shoulder's sag slightly, "they do. But Ron's got older brothers." Hermione wiggled her eyebrows and playfully gave her friend a small punch.

Violet giggled, "Oh, you know I was joking around! It would be great if our group and your group became real good friends, though, wouldn't it?"

"Absolutely," Hermione agreed, her eyes twinkling at the very thought. "Me, you, Harry, Ron, Jake, Alex, Roger…"

"And Draco…"

"Why do you keep getting back to him?" Hermione exclaimed disbelievingly. "Seeing as you like to talk about him so much, why don't you both hook up and go about."

"Are you crazy? He's like my brother now," Violet laughed.

"And it's my pleasure to have you as my little sister," said a voice, causing both Hermione and Violet to jolt in surprise. Draco, looking as fresh and alive as ever, plopped himself next to Violet and winked over at Hermione, causing her stomach to churn.

"Don't wink at me like that," Hermione said, folding her arms across her chest and leaning back on her chair, "it's really weird."

"And a lovely morning to you too," Draco scoffed, giving her a short nod. "Is that how you normally greet people, Miss Little Stuck-Up?"

"So, had a good sleep, I see?" Violet said cheerily, trying to change the subject seeing that another argument was ready to burst. "Did you check if the rest of the guys were up? Breakfast will get over soon."

"Yeah, they said they'll be here soon," he replied, ruffling his hair, which was unusually out of place (in an attractive sort of manner, Hermione had to admit — Oh, what was the matter with her?). "So, you girls are talking about me again, are we? I can see that I'm a popular topic for you girls, aren't I right?"

"Oh, please," Hermione groaned, massaging her forehead, "you're giving me a headache."

"What? Now suddenly everything I say is frustrating to you," he snarled. "You'd think my 'charming act' would warm you up, but apparently it didn't."

"You guys -"

"I'm not getting frustrated! And what do you mean by 'warm me up'?"

Draco flushed. He hadn't intended on saying that, but it had just tumbled out of his mouth. His motive behind the whole 'giving the rose to Hermione' thing was not really to romance her, but to get her to see the 'other' side of him. Perhaps also to get her to… to like him, but he was unsure! Call it his grand gesture. He wasn't really the type to do such things; he usually found them pathetic, but the girls! They seemed to just fall for it — like a fly drawn to light — they were all for these dashing acts. Hermione seemed ready to hug him on the spot yesterday night, but she was back to being the same annoying little stuck up. She was rather a hard one to please… Why did he have to fall for her?

"Forget it," Draco grunted. "It's complicated."

"Yes, let's," Violet piped in, sighing in relief. "I hate it when you two argue."

"Well, I'm leaving," Hermione said swiftly, taking a last sip from her juice and standing up. "I've got lots to do — oh, hello, boys!"

"Morning," Alex replied sleepily, grabbing a chair next to Draco and flopping himself onto it. "How you guys wake up so early is really beyond me. I mean you've already finished breakfast!"

"I know," Jake agreed, groggily rubbing his eyes and taking his place between Roger and Alex. "They're mental."

"Oh, wake up!" Violet scolded, shaking her head in disapproval. "Did you all not freshen up before you came?"

"For heaven's sake… it took all our energies to just put on some clothes and come down!" Roger yawned, stretching his arms behind his back. "I would have fallen asleep brushing my teeth."

"You haven't brushed?" Violet exclaimed in disgust. "Ugh! You guys are revolting!"

Hermione laughed and shook her head. The scene before her reminded her of Harry, Ron and herself. She remembered how many times she had told Harry and Ron off — oh, she missed them so much! After years of going everywhere together, it was just weird not having them around. "Hey, I've got to go and do some stuff," Hermione said a little loudly, trying to get herself heard over their bickering. "I'll see you guys later."

"What do you have to do?" Roger asked curiously. "Can't it wait?"

"Oh… well, I thought I'd go to the pool and relax for a while and then start to get ready for the ball," Hermione explained, giving Violet a small wink. "You're coming, right, Vy?"

Violet smiled cheerfully and nodded her head. "'Of course I am!"

"You guys are already getting prepared for the ball?" Jake asked in disbelief. "Are you both crazy?"

"Don't you talk, Mr. Bad-Breath," Violet snapped. "Girls, unlike guys, want to look and _smell_ pretty and that takes time. You'll appreciate it later."

"You don't need so much time," Draco snorted, causing the boys to nod their head in agreement. "It can't possibly take that long to beautify yourselves."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake! We're going to relax and then start getting ready. And anyway, we do other stuff while getting ready. Like talking and watching TV and -"

"Reading," Draco added, smirking over at Hermione, who shot him a fierce glare.

"You crack me up," Hermione said sarcastically, narrowing her eyes down at him.

"Okay, time to go!" Violet said quickly, taking a hold of Hermione's arm and pulling her towards the exit. "We'll meet you guys later." And before Hermione could shoot back another quick witty remark at Draco, Violet dragged her outside and gave her friend an annoyed glance.

"What?" Hermione asked, shrugging her shoulders casually.

"Why must you pick a fight with him?" Violet said in an irritated tone. "He was rather nice until you had to go, 'oh, you're giving me a headache'."

"Well, it just sort of… comes out!" Hermione tried to explain. "Arguing with him has become a habit for me; his every word just gets under my skin! You can tell from his face, his smirk and that stupid little wink of his — he mocks me every time he talks to me."

"Well, you'll just have to get used to it then. Once again, you're stuck with him for the whole night, so deal with it. Why'd you accept to go with him if you can't stand him, anyway?"

"Because he's not a stupid git all the time," Hermione sighed. "If only he was an annoying little prat all the time…"

"Something about him captured your heart, eh?" Violet said dramatically, laughing as Hermione's face twisted into a small grimace. "Oh, alright. Let's change and then hit the pool. Then we can help each other on deciding what to wear!"

Time went by so quickly for both Hermione and Violet that by the time they decided to get ready, the ball was only two hours away. They had gone for a swim with the boys, talked, had a late lunch and had even watched a movie until they had realized what time it was.

"I really think you should wear your purple gown," Hermione told her friend, her eyes glinting enviously at the beautiful dress. "It'll look gorgeous on you."

"You think so?" Violet beamed. "It was my mother's, you see? Thought I'd bring it along..."

"It's brilliant!"

"And you," Violet said, holding up a breath-taking crimson evening gown. "You just have to wear this. Have to!"

"Alright, alright," Hermione chuckled, taking the dress from Violet and holding it up in front of her. "The only problem is the cut. The v-cut at the front is too deep, don't you think? And it doesn't really cover all of my back."

"But that's the point! It's supposed to accentuate your body features."

"My body features?" Hermione laughed, giving her friend a small grin. "I don't know… I feel really uncomfortable wearing dresses like these. I'm not at all used to wearing clothes that bare my skin," Hermione blushed. 

"It's just for one day," Violet reassured. "And besides, it's not like it's vulgar or anything. It'll look absolutely ravishing on you."

"I guess one day won't hurt," Hermione smiled. She was actually pretty excited for the ball. Dressing up and wearing dresses she wouldn't normally wear gave her some sort of thrill. And some small part of her couldn't wait to see Draco's reaction. Her stomach did a couple of somersaults just thinking about it.

"Anyway, I better be off," Violet said quickly, taking up all the dresses she had brought along to Hermione's room. "I have to take a shower, do my hair, do some last minute touches…"

"You're right. I'll see you later then."

"You sure will! Bye, 'Mione! Good luck!" Violet gave a small wave and closed the door after her; leaving Hermione to get ready for the night.

By the time she had taken a shower, tried on her clothes and several different hairstyles, it was already ten past nine (Draco and Hermione had decided to leave their rooms by nine), and unfortunately for her, Draco had decided to show up on time as if to make it up to her. She had her dress on and everything; it was just her hair that was still left to do.

"How could you possibly not be ready by now?" Draco asked incredulously, trying to make himself heard through the door. "And I even came on time today!"

"I am so sorry!" came Hermione's muffled voice. "Why don't you go ahead and wait down for me. I'll be there in a few minutes! Promise!"

"What other choice do I have?" Draco grumbled as he headed towards the ballroom. "Women… typical…"

After ten full minutes, Hermione was finally ready to go. She looked at herself through the mirror and blushed; smiling in spite of how uncomfortable she felt. The red-wine dress looked absolutely stunning on her, and the slight make-up she had put on went perfectly with her dress. She usually hated putting on make-up, but had decided to wear some tonight, just enough to go with the outfit. The deep cuts and the half-bare back made her feel exposed, but as Violet had said, it actually made her look more sophisticated.

Her hair was tied up with little ringlets beautifully hanging down here and there, and after some thought, she had decided to put the rose that Draco had given her (which was still magnificently in full bloom) in her hair. The flower seemed to give the whole outfit a different effect. She had decided on tying up her hair because of what Draco had said a few days back at the Night Safari. She was unsure why she was taking up his advice, but it seemed to do the trick — she really felt like she looked different… prettier… It was as if she had finally burst out from her little cocoon as she stood there in front of the mirror.

With one last glance of herself, Hermione slipped on the bracelet Draco had given her and walked out of her room; a wave of emotions and thoughts overwhelming her as she made her way towards the ball. In all honesty, she was nervous, scared and excited all at the same time. She was nervous to face Draco, scared about what he'd say when he would see her and excited to see his reaction. She knew she was absolutely crazy, but deep down inside she really wanted him to be surprised or even pleased…

"Oh well, here goes," she mumbled, taking in a deep breath as she entered the hall. "Let's hope everything goes just fine…"

Draco was waiting impatiently down the flight of steps, restlessly tapping his foot and twiddling his thumbs. Ten full minutes had passed up and yet she refused to show up! Everyone was having a glorious time; coming down the steps with their partners, dancing and talking, laughing and flirting, while there he was… all alone! What could she possibly be doing?! What could she —

Draco froze as a figure standing at the top of the stairs caught his attention. All thoughts fled from his head as he watched her slowly come down, looking anxious and lost. She nibbled her lower lip as she made her way down, looking for that someone who, at the moment, stood completely at a loss for words. When he finally caught her eye, he watched as her cheeks coloured up and her lips twisted into a shy smile that made his pulse beat faster. He couldn't help but stare; she looked even more gorgeous than she had at the Yule Ball, and that was saying something. She looked elegant, sensual and beautiful… Draco couldn't take his eyes off her as she walked towards him.

Hermione's heart was beating so fast that she was sure it would just burst out of her chest. She could feel herself heat up out of embarrassment and nervousness as she walked down the steps towards him. She was surprised that her knees didn't give away half-way down, but something in the way Draco looked at her gave her some confidence. He stood there, patiently waiting for her to come down to him, looking as handsome as ever; his eyes never leaving hers.

Once Hermione was one step above him, she cocked her head slightly towards the side and gave him a heart-warming smile, making Draco's insides melt. He couldn't believe that it was Hermione Granger standing in front of him, looking absolutely stunning. He didn't know what to say as she stood before him, waiting expectantly. He knew she was anxious about what he'd say and for once, he wanted to tell her straight out.

After a moment of just staring into each other's eyes, Draco, giving her his all-time trademark smirk, ever so slowly took one of her hands and brought it up to his lips, giving it a small peck before looking up into her chocolate brown eyes and saying, "You look…beautiful."

**A/N:**

It's been long - far too long, since I last updated! I know most of you are absolutely furious with me, but school has been real tough on me this year. I had a week off, so I had decided to finally give the chapter you've been waiting for, and voila! Hope you enjoyed it smiles Reviews are most welcome - I absolutely love reading what you think of the chapter! I want to thank you for your unwavering support. You guys have been absolutely awesome and I couldn't appreciate it more - you guys rock!

I know that last scene was very cliche, but I just couldn't help myself!! The fact that this whole story was taking place on a boat made the scene in Titanic float into my mind, and I just couldn't get rid of the idea Laughs Really hope you enjoyed!


	23. The Serpent and the Lion

The image of Draco waiting at the foot of the grand staircase, his silver-grey eyes intensely boring into her own orbs, was etched into Hermione's memory forever

The Ballroom looked absolutely mesmerizing and enchantingly beautiful that particular night. As Draco and Hermione went through the great oak doors that led to the event, they could not hold back a gasp as they took in their magnificent surroundings.

The ceiling was like a glass dome that allowed everyone who looked up to see the stars that sprawled out across the night-blue sky; their light winking down at them from far above. The walls, instead of being completely opaque, were clear and transparent in places and gave everyone a plain view of the vast sea surrounding them. The tall glass windows were giving an impressive sense of openness to the ballroom.

A grand orchestra was playing at the far end of the ballroom. Men in black waistcoats and women in formal clothes sat on long and silver stools; passionately playing their instruments, producing music that enhanced the magical atmosphere surrounding them all. The symphony was compelling, and the guests at the very centre of the room danced gracefully to the tune; their swift and elegant movements causing Hermione to sigh out dreamily.

Tables with splendid red and white covers sat all around, each having a bouquet of flowers in a crystal vase and a slender white candle sitting on top. The light that was given off was solely due to the candles and small chandeliers that glowed peacefully, which sort of gave an enigmatic sense and a feel of the old-fashioned ways.

"It's all too much like the movies," Hermione whispered in awe, enthralled with what she was seeing. "It feels like I'm in a fairytale."

Draco didn't say anything, but nodded his head slightly; his aristocratic eyes silently observing all that was before him. He was impressed by what the Muggles had to offer and was daunted by the fact that all this was done without an ounce of magic. They had created an ambiance that was so mysterious, romantic and dazzling all at once that it was hard to believe that they had achieved all of this out of pure effort and will alone.

Draco took a sideways glance at Hermione and marveled at the way the candle's glow played on her skin; it seemed to soften her features and gave her an air of mystery and beauty that prickled his skin with a weird sense of pleasure. He was with the most beautiful and intelligent girl – no, _woman_ – he had ever set his eyes on and she was his for the night. His lips curled into his all-time smirk as he watched her turn around to meet his gaze; her cheeks coloring as her warm, brown eyes bore into his own.

He looked more handsome than ever; his midnight-black suit contrasting with his silver-grey eyes and platinum blonde hair. The white shirt he wore underneath gave him a more striking look, but Hermione knew that white shirt or not, the guy before her was without a doubt the most attractive man on the ship. His steely gaze went straight through her heart and she felt little tingling sensations from her head to her toes as he continued to stare at her without a hint of embarrassment. He had an air of secrecy and arrogance that pulled Hermione in and she was sure that if she continued to stare into those icy-silver eyes any longer, she would get sucked right into them.

"Shall we?" Draco asked softly, offering his arm to Hermione, who stood seemingly transfixed; her eyes unable to tear away from his intense gaze.

"Wha- ? Oh, yes," Hermione mumbled, blinking furiously as if it would jolt her to her senses. "Let's…" She shyly took his arm, her fingers gently holding onto him, and gave him a warm smile that sent shivers through Draco. Trying his best to seem unaffected, he gave her a small wink and together they walked around the magnificent hall to look for their friends.

Furtive glances and hushed voices followed the pair as they roamed around the ballroom; their stunning looks combined with the fact that they looked lovely together caused some people to nod their heads in approval and others to take it as a chance for gossiping.

"Did you see…?"

"My god, look at him!"

"They look gorgeous, whoever they are…"

"Hell, that girl is attractive."

"Get your eyes off of her, Blake!"

"He could do so much better than her…"

"She looks absolutely beautiful!"

Draco scowled whenever a guy stared in awe as Hermione passed by, his insides boiling in anger as he watched them smiling and eyeing her longingly. Their comments irritated him and he wished that they would all just shut up or at least whisper so that they couldn't actually hear what they were saying! Some of the guys even had the nerve to come up and say a quick 'hello' to her before he glowered at them and steered her towards another direction.

Hermione too was trying her very best to ignore the whispers that were directed towards them and tried not to snap at the girls who jealously whispered about 'that handsome hunk' who 'deserves better than her' and that she was 'just another pretty face'. She rolled her eyes as she watched girls swoon and sigh as Draco passed by and she glared at them menacingly as they flirtatiously battered their eyelashes; mouthing small _hey's_ when he took a quick glance at them.

"This is ridiculous!" Hermione muttered heatedly as she watched a girl stare at Draco as if he were from another planet altogether. "You'd think they'd never seen a guy before."

"Tell me about it," Draco mumbled back, sending daggers at a guy who was looking at Hermione admiringly. "I mean, it's as if they've never set their eyes on a pretty girl their entire lives."

Hermione blushed at the implication and tried to focus on finding their friends. She couldn't see them anywhere and she was desperate to find a familiar face among the hundreds that kept taking small fleeting looks at the both of them. She was a little bit elated that she had gained such attention, but was even more pleased by the fact that Draco had taken it upon himself to make sure that no one came close to her. She could feel the hint of possessiveness about him and couldn't help but smile to herself every time he put his arm around her and pulled her in the other direction, telling her that they might as well check the other side to see if their friends were there.

It was funny how it all came to this in the end. Not much time had passed and already Hermione felt close to Draco. She enjoyed having him around, she started to get used to his arrogant remarks and she now secretly yearned for his subtle, tender gestures. Him warmly putting an arm around her, giving her a rose, taking her hand between his and giving it a small peck… all these simple actions had a massive impact on her. She felt drawn to him – his every move, his smart, witty comments, his smirk that now almost seemed like a smile sometimes… Yet, for some odd reason, she felt wrong. Maybe it was because of their past times together or maybe this all felt odd because of the fact it was Draco… She didn't quite know, but to her, Draco seemed forbidden in a way.

"Hey, over there! Isn't that them?"

Hermione looked to where Draco was pointing and found Violet, Roger, Alex and Jake walking through the oak doors; looking around the ballroom – completely mystified by their surroundings. "They weren't here all this time!" Hermione laughed, shaking her head in amusement. "We should have known after taking two full rounds around the ballroom!"

"You're the one who was insisting we do," Draco said, his lips quirking into a small smile. "I was the one who suggested we should stay put and that they would eventually come to us. So, I'm smarter -"

"Oh, get over yourself," Hermione said exasperatedly, smiling nonetheless. "Let's go and say hello."

Draco and Hermione weaved around the crowd and made their way towards Violet and the rest. The ballroom was now teeming with people, so both of them kept an eye on their friends so as not to lose them in the crowd. Once they had finally reached them, Violet squealed in delight and hugged the both of them; the guys following suit once Violet had given them the chance.

"You're looking stunning, Hermione," Alex smiled warmly once he had given her a hug and had looked at her properly. "And I'm sure your date is pretty happy tonight," he laughed, thumping Draco's back as a way of greeting. "You guys look great."

Hermione's first impulse was to tell him that it wasn't a 'date', but she stopped herself just in time. How could she possibly humiliate Draco in front of everybody? She looked at him and saw him give Alex a small smirk. Obviously, he didn't mind… in fact, it seemed as if Draco himself considered this as a date. Hermione inwardly smiled at the thought. If Draco saw this as some sort of a date, then why couldn't she? Initially, she hadn't considered it as one, because she had thought it would have only been a one-sided thing, but she was wrong – Draco was on the other side now… And anyway, who was she trying to kid? Deep down she knew this was more than just simple a night out.

"You guys don't look too bad yourselves!" Draco replied smiling; clapping Roger on the shoulder. "And Violet…" he said, giving her a tight embrace, "you look very, _very_ pretty tonight." And she really did. She looked absolutely splendid in her beautiful purple gown. Together with her curly, jet black hair falling to her shoulders and the slight make-up she had put on, she was really a sight to behold.

"Aw, thanks!" Violet said, beaming. She looked over at Hermione and Draco both standing side by side and inwardly smirked. Hermione gave her a lop-sided grin and Violet returned a knowing look that caused her friend to blush.

"Alright, come on! Let's go and find a free table, where we can all sit," Hermione said quickly, trying to ignore Violet's small smile.

"Yes, let's," Violet chirped in, taking Hermione's arm and pulling her forward. "Where you're going to tell me all about Draco's reaction…" she whispered excitedly as she dragged an exasperated Hermione towards an empty table.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, there's really nothing much to say…"

Violet laughed and shook her head. "Oh, Hermione… I _know_ you have loads to tell me!"

Once they had all reached their table, Draco took his place beside Hermione and finally took the time to take in the full splendor of his surroundings. Even though the whole event was taking place inside, Draco felt open to the night-blue sky above. He tilted his head slightly and gazed up at the glass dome; the millions of little stars, looking like a giant wet cobweb, giving him the impression they were winking down at them cheerfully.

The sounds of laughter and of people talking animatedly echoed throughout the ballroom. Draco watched with interest as women in elegant gowns glided across the dance floor with their partners; their graceful movements flowing beautifully with the music. The way in which their dresses swirled around them as they twirled across the floor seemed artistic in a way and Draco was for a moment mesmerized with their whole dance. But something was missing. Yes, he was taken in by the beauty of the couples dancing their hearts out on the floor, but there was a certain magic that was lacking.

"Enjoying yourself?" Hermione asked in a low voice, nudging Draco slightly.

"Quite," he replied curtly, his eyes never leaving the synchronized movements of a couple moving smoothly across the dance floor. After a moment's pause, Draco added, "It's interesting to see how perfect and beautiful a dance can be and yet seem dull at the same time…"

Hermione followed Draco's eyes and found the couple that had caught his attention. She watched them silently for a few seconds and tried to figure out what he had meant. "What do you mean?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing in curiosity.

"Look at the way they move; synchronized and absolutely perfect in every way, right?"

"Right," she agreed, not knowing where this was going at all.

"Now, look at their expressions and how they're looking at each other. Look at the way they're holding each other."

Hermione intently studied their features and their postures. The man was stony-faced and without an inch of emotion on his features, while the woman's was that of pure concentration. They held one another as if they were uncomfortable with each other and as Hermione continued to watch them, the beauty of the dance slowly disintegrated.

"There's no magic, right?" Draco chuckled slightly as he saw her eyes open in realization. "No _chemistry_."

Hermione whipped her head around and stared at him as if were another creature all together. "Since when are you an expert in all this?" She was perplexed by Draco's deep observation. The fact that he had noticed the lack of chemistry between two people intrigued her. "How did you notice something like that?"

"Believe me, I've been to _many_ Balls and dance events and I've picked up a lot along the way."

Hermione cocked one eyebrow up at this and looked at him doubtfully. "Draco Malfoy at Balls and dance events?" she asked, trying to bottle up a laugh that was bubbling up in her throat. "I can't even begin to imagine it."

"My parents used to drag me to all sorts of events. 'To make our presence known,' they would say," Draco laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "Well, as you know, our 'presence' soon became very well known."

Hermione's laugh died in her throat. "Y-yeah…" she stuttered uncomfortably, suddenly unsure of what to say. She didn't quite know how to handle topics involving his parents yet, so she remained silent – she didn't want to say anything that would offend him that night.

"Okay, you guys! It's time to celebrate our last night here together," Roger said loudly, standing up and holding a glass up in the air. "It's been one hell of a holiday and I say we make our last night here together a memorable one."

"Aw, you say that as if we're not going to stay in touch at all," Hermione said, relieved that she was saved from a moment of awkwardness between her and Draco. "We're all going to try and keep tabs on each other right?"

"You bet," Jake said warmly, giving her a small smile as he raised his glass. "To a long lasting friendship," he said enthusiastically, raising his glass up higher; motioning for the others to do the same.

"To a long lasting friendship," they agreed in unison before taking a long swig of their drinks.

In the middle of gulping down the remains of her non-alcoholic champagne, Hermione chocked and sputtered as two figures in the middle of the dance floor caught her eye. The cool liquid must have gone down the wrong pipe, because a second later she was coughing hysterically into her hands, her eyes swimming in tears as the coughs wrecked through her body.

In a flash, Draco poured her a glass of water and pushed it between her lips, forcing her to drink as Violet patted her back to ease her coughing – both looking at her in utter disbelief. "Honestly woman, it's not even alcoholic…" Draco muttered incredulously, as she struggled to drink the water. "How you managed to drink all those alcoholic beverages a few days ago is completely beyond me…"

Hermione scowled. She swatted his hand away and took the glass between her hands – drinking deeply as she felt the coughs slowly subsiding. "Tell me," she said darkly as she finished her glass of water, "since when have _they_ become so close."

"What are you – oh wow…" Violet said in surprise as everyone followed Hermione's gaze. "I have no idea."

Hermione couldn't believe what she was seeing. Jessie, looking stunning in a midnight-black dress that clung to her body, was dancing with Bob! Bob, who barely knew Jessie! Bob, who had no idea what she really was like! Hermione shook her head in disbelief as the 'couple' glided across the dance floor – Bob confidently leading the way and Jessie smiling radiantly as if to show how happy she was. Hermione looked on with distaste as he pulled Jessie against him as they danced; the latter giggling pathetically into his chest as they swayed to the music. How were they friends all of a sudden?!

"Well, well, well," Draco chortled, "it looks as if she has finally moved on."

"You don't suppose she could've used -"

"Amorodor?" Violet finished for Hermione. "I don't think so. I've got it safely hidden away. Besides, even though it is surprising she's dancing with him of all people, it's just a dance. It can't be more than that. I'm sure she found him cute the other day and asked him for a spin or something…"

Hermione was only half listening. The word 'revenge' flashed through her mind as she watched Jessie gently rest her cheek against Bob's chest. Was this one of her schemes to get Draco jealous once again? Was she trying to get back at her for exposing her in front of her friends? Hermione didn't know, but she certainly didn't like the fact that she was dancing with him. How dare she dance with him after using him as a ploy just two days ago!? It was unfair on him! Hermione glanced at the two of them once more and blinked in surprise as Jessie flashed her a smug smile; waving her fingers slightly as if trying to taunt her.

"That no-good witch!" Hermione muttered under her breath in disgust. What was she playing at?! That smile… what did it mean?!

Draco saw the worried expression on her features and felt a small pang in his chest. Why did _Bob_ suddenly matter so much, he wondered in distaste? Why did it have to upset her as much as it did? Slowly, Draco reached out his arm and gently pressed his cool hand on her arm, causing her to turn around and meet his gaze. Her eyes reflected both hate and worry. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at her more seriously.

"Let it go," he said calmly, but with a firm tone in his voice. "It's not like she's going to hurt him. It doesn't mean anything… it's just a dance." He whispered so that the others, who had already gotten over the initial surprise and were chattering away amongst themselves, wouldn't be able to hear. He thought it would be rude to express his own opinions about one of their friends. "There's nothing to worry about."

"You don't understand!" Hermione whispered back urgently. "I think it's -" She stopped in embarrassment as she realized Violet and the boys were now looking at them inquisitively, probably wondering what they were talking about and why she and Draco weren't joining in their conversation.

"Is there something wrong?" Roger asked, looking at the pair of them curiously.

"Oh no…nothing's wrong!" Hermione said, a little too quickly, for she blushed at her mistake.

"No, don't worry," Draco replied smoothly. "I was just asking her whether she would like to accompany me and get a drink." He looked at her and cocked his eyebrow. "You are coming, aren't you?"

Hermione caught on immediately and replied, "Of course. I need a new glass of…erm…of that champagne! Barely tasted any of it seeing as I nearly spurted out half the glass of that last one…" She laughed weakly as she got up from her seat slowly. "We'll be back soon."

"I'll come with you too!" Alex said earnestly, quickly standing up from his chair. "I was going to go and get a drink myself. I'll just tag along since you guys are heading that way as well."

"Oh, well -" Hermione began, but was cut off when Violet rolled her eyes and pushed Alex back down. She looked at Hermione and gave her a cheeky smile.

"No, he'll go _later_," she emphasized, giving Alex a small scowl. "You guys go ahead and… catch up with things. Don't worry." She winked and motioned for them to get a move on. "Take your time!"

Hermione sighed in relief. She could have hugged Violet, but instead she gave her an affectionate smile. "Thank you," she mouthed wordlessly as she walked away with Draco. "I owe you!"

Violet laughed silently to herself and discreetly gave her a thumbs-up. She had a good feeling about tonight. There was always something magical about Balls and such events. The atmosphere created the perfect, romantic mood and she had an inkling that this would benefit both Draco and Hermione in more ways than one. Hopefully, they would not argue or upset one another… the two of them were unpredictable at times!

"What was all that for?!" Alex accused, irritated and confused. "Why, in Merlin's beard did you push me back down, Vy?!"

"Oh, honestly!" Violet snapped, annoyed at his ignorance. "Didn't you think they would have wanted some _privacy_, from time to time during the evening? Some time together _alone_?!" Violet looked at the three of them, hoping they had understood, and couldn't help but laugh as they looked at her with wide eyes. She shook her head in amusement. _Boys will always be_… Violet sighed… _boys_.

"That was quick thinking," Hermione muttered quietly as she leaned against the tall, translucent window; pressing her temple against the cool surface.

"I know," Draco replied matter-of-factly, giving her a crooked smile. "It's all about staying calm during these kinds of situations." When Hermione didn't respond, but instead stared out into the grand balcony, Draco's slight smile faltered. "Tell me," he demanded suddenly, his voice hardening, "tell me what exactly is bothering you. Is it because _dear Bob_ decided to go over to Jessie? Is it because Jessie took him away from you?" Jealousy washed over him as he said those words.

"What…?!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise, a little hurt that Draco had thought that way.

"Do you like him, Hermione?" Draco asked, his jaws tight and his eyes full of resentment.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, do you have an attraction for Bob? I don't give a damn if you do, but I hate being left in the dark."

Hermione noted with surprise the hint of jealousy in his voice. The set jaws, the serious tone, the way he was asking the questions… could it be possible that Draco was jealous?  
Her heart fluttered at the thought. "Oh, Draco it's nothing of the sort!" she said sincerely. "You've got it all wrong."

Draco looked at her steadily, his eyes boring into her own. "Enlighten me."

Hermione took in a deep breath. "I really hate her, Draco… I'm sick and tired of her silly antics. Trying to get your attention all the time, almost drowning me, using Bob to try and kiss me and then," she motioned over to Bob and Jessie, "flirting with him as if nothing had happened." Hermione grew angry as she spilled her thoughts to Draco. "You should have seen the filthy grin she gave me… taunting me... trying to get me all riled up. And as much as I hate to admit it, it's working."

"Hermione-"

"How dare she use people like that! She has no right to flirt with him! He has no idea what she has done to him… tried to make him do!" Hermione was on a roll and there was no stopping her now. All the hate she felt for Jessie, bottled up inside her all this time, exploded in that moment. "What did I ever do to her? Now, she's trying to get revenge because I exposed her in front of her friends!"

"Alright now, calm down. You're becoming too loud -"

"She _knows_. Oh, she knew I'd get upset as soon as I'd see them together. She's a no-good, foul little witch and I wish I could just -"

Draco took her wrist and pulled her towards the open veranda. She needed some fresh air and they needed to get away from the crowd – she was creating a scene inside and Draco didn't want them all to witness her ranting. He dragged her towards the furthest end, where there weren't any people, and then let go of her wrist when he realized that she was still talking hysterically, her face flushed with anger and her voice now almost high-pitched.

"-and I hate the fact that she's getting to me! I hate, hate, hate -"

"Hermione!" Draco put his hands on her shoulders and shook her slightly; trying to get her to calm down. He knew she was finally venting her anger, but she needed to relax – to take a deep breath. "Just breathe for a second, alright? Calm down…"

"I hate her _so_ much…" she whispered throatily, looking up at Draco as if he understood what she was feeling. "So much…" Angry tears spilled from the corner of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. She didn't know why, but tears always formed whenever she would get too angry or upset. She disliked this fact, but there was nothing she could do to prevent them. "Oh, no," she moaned as she felt the tears stream down her cheeks. "Not now…"

Draco blinked in surprise as he watched her. "What…? Why are you crying?!"

"I don't know!" Hermione mumbled furiously, more to herself than to Draco. "It just happens!" She looked up at the sky, desperately trying to fight them off, but to no avail. Hermione groaned in frustration and turned her back towards Draco, brushing off her tears angrily. She definitely did not want him to see her in this state, so why, oh, why, wouldn't they just stop!?

Draco chuckled, causing Hermione to blush in her embarrassment. "Oh shut up, Draco," she muttered, sniffling slightly. She willed herself to take deep breaths and tried to calm herself down. "Merlin, this is so dramatic…"

Draco laughed. "It is." He pressed one hand on her shoulder and forced her to turn around. "So stop crying and get yourself together," he said gently, his eyes glinting meaningfully. "You don't want her spoiling tonight, do you?"

"Of course not! I just had to let that out… the tears just have to come along when I get too angry." Hermione sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "At least it's all out now."

"Ready to go back in there?"

Hermione looked into the ballroom and nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm ready." After a few seconds, she cocked her head to one side and said, "It's good to know I can tell you all of this, Draco. I -" She paused for a moment then continued, "I somehow trust you now. We've come a long way, haven't we?" She turned her head so that she was gazing into his steel eyes and her heart nearly jumped out when she realized he was staring intensely back at her.

Somehow, the distance between them had closed and Hermione was engulfed by Draco's musky cologne. He moved a little closer and Hermione's senses shut out completely. She couldn't form any words and her breath was caught in her throat. Her heart rate increased as he leaned his head forward and Hermione waited, her knees becoming slightly weak, for the inevitable to happen.

Draco had no idea what caused him to move closer to her. Maybe it was because of what she had said just a second ago… _I trust you_. Those three words continued to ring in his ears as he took another step closer to her. He could now clearly see her long, wet eyelashes, and couldn't help but lean his head forward as he continued to gaze into her eyes – it was as if she were pulling him in. Draco had the strongest urge to touch her cheek, trace the outline of her jaw with his fingertips… to kiss her. She was so close, her lips looking as tempting as ever and yet…

"We have come along way," Draco whispered huskily, resisting with all his might to just press his lips against hers. "And I'm glad I've gained your trust." He softly tucked one of her stray strands of hair behind her ear and gave her a slight smirk. "I wouldn't want to do anything to break it…" Draco lingered closer still for a few seconds before pulling away and taking a step back. He didn't want to upset her or ruin what they had so far, but as he saw the hurt expression on Hermione's face, Draco wondered… Did she have feelings for him too?

Hermione was anticipating a kiss. She was actually _waiting_ for it to happen. Draco had come so close… so close that she could nearly feel his lips on hers. She felt a wave of disappointment wash over her as he leaned back. What was his problem?! What was up with him and his mixed signals?! Hermione couldn't make out whether he actually liked her or was just playing around with her emotions. It confused her and frustrated her, but she didn't dare say anything. If she expressed these feelings to him, Merlin knows how he would react. "We should go back in," Hermione said, her voice somewhat unsteady. "I don't want to keep them waiting."

"You're right. Let's -" But Draco didn't finish the rest of his sentence, because Hermione had turned around and left before he could get all the words out. He watched, a little stunned, as she strode back into the ballroom; her dress flapping gently against the salty wind. She didn't once turn around to see if he was following her – she was angry at him and Draco knew it, but he couldn't figure out whether it was because he had gone too close to her or because he hadn't kissed her.

Draco stared towards the place she had been just a few seconds ago. It had to be because he hadn't kissed her… she would have pushed him away if she didn't want him so close. She had just stood there as he had leaned forward, as if just waiting for him to lean in all the way… Draco smirked as these thoughts sped through his mind. And so the serpent had finally captured the lion's heart. She had fallen for him and he… he had fallen for her too.

"So, what happened?!" Violet asked excitedly as Hermione returned to their table and sat down. "And where's Draco?" She turned to look for him, but saw him nowhere in sight. "Did he go to the bathroom or -"

"I left him outside."

"You what?"

"He – well, he _annoyed_ me, so I just left. I'm guessing he's still out there."

"Oh, Hermione," Violet sighed heavily, throwing her hands up in the air, "What did you fight about now?"

"We didn't fight! He tried to – well, I thought he was going to -" Hermione thought about how close he had been and felt a shiver run down her spine. "Oh, never mind! The point is I needed to get away from him for sometime."

Violet put her hands up in surrender. "I give up. You both sort this between yourselves."

Twenty minutes had passed and Draco had not yet come back. Hermione tried her best not to show it, but she was anxious to know where he had gone off to. She scanned the ballroom for his familiar figure, but he was nowhere to be found. Thankfully, Jessie and Bob had wandered off somewhere before she had come back to the table, so there was one thing off her mind, but now she was starting to feel guilty for leaving Draco like that. Where was he and why wasn't he coming back?

Hermione watched in silence as people clinked their wine glasses, laughed, and took their partners to the dance floor. The music was slow and romantic and it was little hard for her to watch the couples hold each other and sway to the song. Roger had asked Violet for a dance and two other girls had come and taken Alex and Jake away… It felt awkward sitting all alone.

"It looks like you're having the time of your life."

Hermione whipped around and saw Draco walking up to her with his stupid, stupid smirk plastered across his face. He stopped a few feet away from her and laughed lightly as she turned her back to him once again – furious that he would make sarcastic comments after teasing her like that back outside. He should be apologizing! And what had taken him so long to come back?!

Draco shook his head in amusement and walked around Hermione's chair so that he was facing her once more. He tried to catch her eye, but she refused to look at him. She had her arms folded across her chest and her chin stubbornly sticking out. She was restlessly drumming her fingers against her arm and her posture clearly meant that she was annoyed with him.

"You missed me that much, huh?"

"Go away, Draco," Hermione snapped, still refusing to look at him.

"No."

"Stop being such a prat and go away!"

"Why?"

Hermione could have screamed in frustration. "Because I don't want you anywhere near me!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm su-" Hermione stopped mid-way and finally turned to look at him. She furrowed her eyebrows and asked curiously, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Draco merely stared back at her, the corner of his lips pulled up into a sly grin. Hermione impatiently waited for him to say something, but he continued to stand there just gazing at her. "Well!?" she demanded, becoming more are more irritated. "Are you going to explain or are you just going to stand there like that for -"

"Dance with me."

Hermione froze. All the angry thoughts that she had for him fled from her mind as she struggled to register what Draco had just asked her. "E-excuse me?"

Draco extended an arm and offered Hermione his hand. "Dance with me," he repeated smoothly, smiling slightly at her stunned expression.

Hermione didn't know what to say! She was so taken aback by his sudden request that she momentarily forgot how to think straight. She stared at him in bewilderment; completely at a loss for words. He had asked her to dance! To dance with him! And she had no idea what to do! She looked at the hand that he was holding out for her and blurted out the first thing that came to her head, "I'm a terrible dancer." Hermione mentally kicked herself.

Draco laughed. "Luckily, I'll be the one leading. And it doesn't hurt to mention that I'm a fairly good dancer, so you're in good hands. Come on."

Hermione looked at his small smile and hesitated a second longer before gently sliding her hand on top of his. This was it. She was actually going to dance with Draco Malfoy. No – not just dance, but slow dance.

Draco wrapped his fingers around Hermione's petite hand and gave her a comforting squeeze. She looked terrified and he couldn't blame her – Draco was terrified himself. He had watched her from afar for some time before gaining the courage to go back and face her. After finally acknowledging his feelings, and realizing that they were probably shared by Hermione, everything seemed to change, to shift.

Draco led her to the dance floor and turned slightly to face her. Never letting go of the hand that he was initially holding on to, he took a small step towards her and gently laid his free hand on the small of her back. She seemed small and delicate and Draco couldn't help but smile as she quickly took a shy glance at him before placing her other hand on his shoulder.

"Relax," he breathed as he saw her blush. He could almost feel her heart thudding against her chest and Draco couldn't help but feel a weird sense of pleasure wash over him. "And try breathing out," he said, chuckling slightly when he saw that she was holding her breath. "I don't want you passing out on me." And before Hermione could say anything, Draco moved, leading her slowly across the dance floor.

Hermione was lost. Lost in the music, lost in the dance and lost in him… His movements were confident and smooth and her fears slowly disappeared as she relaxed into him. She almost immediately forgot her surroundings as Draco pressed her closer to him; the intensity of his eyes and the close contact with him drawing her into him. The chemistry she felt between them was electrifying and Hermione never wanted the dance to end. She was in seventh heaven and had no idea how she would come back down. She wanted to stay like this, in Draco's arms, forever.

However, Hermione was instantly on her guard once she felt Draco's hand slowly fall to her lower back, causing her body to stiffen. She gave him a surprised look and told him severely, "Don't play around with me, Draco. It's not funny."

Draco chuckled into her ear and pressed her closer still, so that her cheek was gently resting on his shoulder. "It's called dancing, Hermione. I'm not trying to seduce you."

Hermione laughed and comfortably pressed her cheek into his shoulder, inhaling his cologne and closing her eyes. "That's good to know." And they didn't say anything for a long time. They simply held each other close and swayed to the music, both completely losing themselves in each other.

"Thank you for the dance," Hermione said shyly, leaning against the ship's railing and looking out towards the calm sea. "I enjoyed it."

"No problem," Draco said, standing close beside her. "I enjoyed it myself."

Hermione smiled and turned her head sideways in order to look at him. "You never cease to surprise me, Draco. I never thought you had it in you."

"I told you I could dance. It's all in the leading..." Draco smirked and held her gaze. "You're not as terrible as you said you were."

"Oh, yeah, well… I was stunned and I didn't know what to say. It just came out of my mouth." Hermione paused for a moment then tilted her head slightly. "Just out of curiosity..." she started, now turning her body around, "where were you after I... after I left?"

Draco didn't answer immediately. His cool gray eyes intensely bore into hers for a few seconds before he turned away and sighed. "I was figuring things out."

"Erm…what things? If it's not too personal to ask, of course," she asked, bravely taking a step closer to him and laying a hand on his arm.

"I was trying to figure out why you got so upset. I was trying to understand what made me do what I did before…" He slowly turned around and faced her; his eyes once again capturing hers. "I didn't mean to scare you…"

"I wasn't scared! I just thought you were going to…I mean, you know -"

But all of a sudden, Draco pushed away from the railing and completely closed the distance between them, causing Hermione to gasp in surprise. He softly put his hand behind her head and brought her forehead towards his lips, giving it a small peck. He looked down at her astonished expression and smirked. "I apologize for before."

Hermione's mind was reeling. She stood looking at him with wide eyes, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Did he just do that?

"Too short?" he asked, his eyes gleaming mischievously.

"Yeah…" she said, still in a daze. Then, suddenly realizing what she had said, she quickly tried to amend her mistake. "I mean no! No, no, no -" But once again she was cut off, because Draco had swooped down and had captured her lips with his own.

Hermione's heart nearly stopped. She felt her stomach explode with a thousand butterflies and her knees almost gave away as Draco pressed his hand against the nape of her neck. He pulled her closer to him and all rational thoughts fled Hermione's head. Her eyes fluttered to a close and she instinctively curled her arm around Draco's neck; pulling his head forward. The kiss was intense, but sweet, and Hermione couldn't get enough.

Adrenaline was pumping through Draco. How he had had the courage to kiss her in the first place was beyond him, but he didn't care – he was kissing her and she was kissing him back… with equal fervor. Hairs on the back of his neck were standing up and he felt tingles of pleasure course through his entire body. She tasted wonderful and her closeness was driving him over the edge. She was clinging onto him and Draco craved for more… more of this beautiful woman. He had never felt such a powerful connection like this before.

Draco slowly broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers; taking in deep breaths. The two of them stood there like that for a couple of minutes before he gently cupped her face and dipped his head down for one last peck, whispering her name against her soft lips. "Hermione," he murmured, drawing smooth circles with his thumb.

"Yes?" she managed to choke out, her heart racing and her mind still dizzy from the kiss.

"Hermione… I think," Draco hesitated for a moment then said, "I think I've fallen for you."

Hermione looked at him and for a second thought she had misheard what he had said. "What?" she asked in surprise, her eyes suddenly wide with fear.

"You know what I said," Draco said slowly, trying to figure out her expression. "Is there something wrong?"

Hermione gently pushed his hands away and took a small step back from him; nervously chewing on her bottom lip. She looked at him with distress and Draco could only watch her with a mixture of both hurt and confusion. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked her once more, worry etched onto his features. "Tell me I -"

"No, it's not that! It's just…" Hermione took one more step away from him and gave him a pained expression. She hated herself for it, but she was absolutely terrified by Draco's sincere words. She wanted to tell him so badly that it wasn't his fault, but how could she explain her complex feelings? She liked him too, but the thought scared her more than she could stomach at this precise moment – how could Draco possibly understand that?! After a long pause, Hermione finally whispered in an injured voice, "I'm _so_ sorry, Draco." And with that, she turned around and ran.


	24. Bold Moves

Draco had never ever felt so humiliated in his entire life

Draco had never ever felt so humiliated in his entire life. He stood there, watching Hermione's retreating form in sheer confusion, feeling completely and utterly _stupid._

What in the world had just happened…? Did Granger just walk out on a kiss? _His kiss?_ Did she really just leave him hanging like that? After he confessed his feelings? Draco suddenly let out a confused, hysterical laugh. Incredulous, mystified and downright stunned were only few of the words he could come up with to describe what he was feeling at that moment.

Was he feeling sad? Not really, no…

Hurt? Well, it did hurt whatever pride and ego he had left.

Baffled and bamboozled? Merlin, yes!

Scared?

Draco stopped and pondered over this for a moment. Letting out a long, frustrated sigh, he walked over to the ship's railing and rested his elbows on top; supporting his head on his hands. Scared? Pffttt… Scared of what? Draco let the question linger for a moment before he groaned in realization. Petrified was more like it. _God damn it!_

Never in his life had he felt such strong and powerful emotions for a person. How was it even _possible_ for him to feel this way after spending merely two weeks with her? It was ridiculous! What was it that he was feeling anyway? And why in Merlin's bloody underwear did he have to say that he was 'falling' for her?! He replayed the scene in his head and felt like throwing up. No wonder she ran. He had said the most disgustingly tasteless line in all of history.

Draco face-palmed himself. _I'm a bloody, blundering git…!_

But Draco didn't regret what he had done. If he was honest with himself, kissing her had been immensely pleasant. Her body close to his… her fingers running through his hair… As if on their own accord, his fingers traced the outline of his lips, feeling the ghost of Hermione's soft and supple ones on his own. It sent tingles right down to the pit of his stomach just thinking about the intensity of that short, stolen kiss. It had been stomach-twisting, head-spinning and just so… passionate. Draco grimaced. God he was going soft.

Hermione on the other hand, was sure she had discovered a new level of confusion. There was no way another human being on this planet had ever felt what she was feeling at that precise moment. She ran all the way back to her room, ignoring the looks people threw at her as she made her way through and out of the ballroom, only to realize that her key card was in her bag – sitting innocently on the table along with the rest of her friends. Luckily, she had her wand hidden beneath her dress - underneath one of her long stocking, so that it rested against her thigh. She had pulled it out and tried 'Alohomora' of course, but the door just wouldn't open – it probably didn't work on automatic locks.

With nowhere else in mind to go and not in the mood to figure out which spell would work, she slid onto the floor next to her door and pulled her knees to her chest; her head limply resting against the hard, oak wood. It was a small relief knowing that no one would witness her in such a state – everyone else was probably having a _glorious_ time at the Ball…

She _should_ be with Draco right now – out on the veranda and just holding him close. She shouldn't be here berating herself for running away! Oh, but she couldn't think of what else she could have done! She had been terrified by his words, his sincerity… it felt wrong – forbidden even. It was Draco Malfoy we were talking about here! Draco Malfoy, who had teased her, taunted her for seven years, called her vile names… had held her close to him, said the most beautiful things to her… kissed her… He had actually had the nerve to just kiss her like that! When she thought about it for a while, she reluctantly smiled. She felt lovely little tingles spreading through her just thinking about it.

_Hermione… I think… I think I've fallen for you._

Despite the current situation, Hermione stopped herself from letting out a small chuckle. Now that she was thinking about it, she had to admit what Draco had said was somewhat tacky and cliché. She wouldn't have believed that he had said it if she hadn't seen his lips moving. Nevertheless, it had managed to steal her heart. The very fact that Draco had said it to her – that _someone_ had said it to her – made her feel lightheaded.

So why did she run away like that? Why had she left him after he had professed his true feelings for her (which, she supposed, must have been very, _very_ hard for him to do)? Hermione sighed. She ran because she had been completely and utterly scared out of her knickers. She had been overwhelmed by a wave of contradicting emotions and had acted instinctively. She had enjoyed the kiss immensely, don't get her wrong, but everything had happened so quickly! He had just swooped down… pressing his lips against hers… caressing the nape of her neck…

She shouldn't be here… it was wrong – it _felt_ wrong. She didn't merely 'like' him as she had admitted to herself and Violet the last time – it was far deeper and complex than that. It wasn't exactly love at the moment either, but she was sure something more profound would blossom between them if she didn't mess up her chance.

She breathed in deeply, feeling her head become a little clearer. She had been on unfamiliar territory, hadn't known how to handle what she felt for him at the time, and so had acted impulsively. Her inexperience had led to such events, but she was slowly learning. She eventually came to recognize the fact that she had 'fallen' for him herself.

Jessie had watched in glee as Hermione pulled away from Draco and ran away. She had seen everything, of course, and was simply elated at how things had turned out. She had purposely come to the ball with darling Bob for a while just to see that little wretch get all upset, which obviously worked out perfectly, and now she had abandoned Draco – giving her complete access to his probably emotional state! And who else should it be but her to comfort him in such a situation!? Luckily enough, Bob was an easy one to ditch. Oh, he was good-looking and all, but there was no comparing him with Draco. All she had to do was make up a story about feeling a little feverish… Besides! Being a sailor and all that, he had a limited amount of time to spend with her. He had mentioned that he had to be back on duty after a couple of hours, so she wasn't really leaving him alone for the whole night…

_What a stupid witch!_ Jessie cackled to herself, smiling from ear to ear as she brought back her focus on what had just happened. Who in their right mind would ever leave such a gorgeously fine person like Draco? She had seen and been with tons of guys, mind you, but he… he had a certain bad-boy aura about him that just kept _pulling_ her in. Although… there was something about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on. His last name… Malfoy, wasn't it? It sounded vaguely familiar coming to think of it… and his face! As she continued to look at his features, she had a nagging feeling that she had seen him somewhere.

Jessie watched as Draco walked over to the railing, all thoughts flying out of her head. Quickly, she smoothed out her dress, made sure her hair was all in place and walked over to him.

"Draco!"

Draco slightly inclined his head at the sound of his name and moaned at his luck. _Why me?!_ He groaned, looking up at the sky as if looking for answers. Couldn't Violet or one of the guys have come? Did it have to be Jessie!?

"Darling, what are you doing out here all alone!?" Jessie asked happily, spreading out her arms – getting ready to embrace him. "Where's Hermione?"

Draco couldn't believe her nerve! "Hold it right there," he said, pushing back against the railing and turning around to face her. "I don't want you coming any closer, thank you very much."

Surprised, Jessie stopped in her tracks and looked at him curiously. "Now, that's not very nice, is it? I just came here to -"

"Whatever your reason, Jessie, I'd prefer if you'd leave me alone." Draco pushed back his hair, which handsomely fell back onto his forehead. "I've had enough of your nonsense… Merlin knows what you'll do next. Try to seduce me again, I suppose?" He put his hands in his pockets and casually leaned his back against the railing, looking over at Jessie's gaping mouth. "Come now, Jessie… Don't pretend. I maybe ravishingly good-looking, but I've been blessed with some brains too," he said, tapping his head with a finger.

Jessie stared at him, momentarily dumbfounded. However, she quickly regained her composure and pressed on, "Aw… Draco! Don't be like that! Still clinging on to what happened these past few days? That is entirely in the past and I'm over it… you should be too! I'm sure Hermione is way past it." Ignoring, what he had said earlier, Jessie made a move to walk towards him one more time.

Draco laughed and put one hand out to stop her from advancing. "You aren't listening, Jessie. I told you not to come near me."

"Oh, honestly, what has gotten into you?"

"Don't stand there and pretend to be all innocent," Draco said darkly, "I don't easily forget things like what you've done. Going around putting love spells on people, taking advantage of me by using your precious Amorodor, using that sailor guy as puppet, hurting Hermione in more ways than one… Do you have any idea what you have put us through?"

Jessie had not planned for this to happen. She had thought Draco would have been devastated after Hermione had run out on him. He didn't seem at all sad. "Still defending her after she left you like that, I see," Jessie said nonchalantly. "I think she's put _you_ through a lot more than I have."

"Spying on us now, are you?" Draco growled. "Don't you have better things to do than following us around?"

"I thought I'd come and say hello," Jessie said, trying hard not to seem irritated.

"Oh, really? How nice of you," Draco replied mockingly. "And you decided to leave your partner in the process, have you? What was his name? Bog or something wasn't it…?"

"Bob -"

"Ah, yes… him. Well, I suggest you go find him and relieve me of your presence." Draco couldn't stand talking to her any longer. She was lying through her nose and putting on such an innocent act that it was bugging the life out of him! She hadn't come to say sorry – oh no! She came back for him! As much as an ego boost as it was, Draco sincerely had had enough of her.

"Well, I'm not the only one who walked away then, am I?" Jessie continued through gritted teeth, "Looks like Hermione and I finally have something in common. I saw it all. You kissing her like that and she running away… I thought you might need a friend -"

Draco slowly walked towards her, towering over her as he went closer. He somewhat relished the flicker of fear in her eyes – the way she cowered as he looked down at her. She was too used to having it her own way. Draco assumed she was also used to guys bending to her will – falling for her charms. Luckily enough, he wasn't like the others… and all her magical items had been taken away for a while. "Your company is the last thing I want," Draco snapped, watching as her eyes grew wide in revelation. "Get out of my sight."

"H-how…how dare you!" Jessie stammered in alarm. "Don't talk to me like that!"

"I'll talk however I want," Draco shot back.

Jessie wasn't at all used to being talked to like that; especially from a guy such as Draco. "Then I'll do whatever I please!" she replied shrilly. She was losing her temper quickly and she could feel her rage slowly coursing through her. Before she knew it, she blurted out, "I never want to see your face again!"

He smirked. "Already gotten over me, have you? Well, I never wanted to see your face to begin with. Glad we've come to an understanding."

"I take back everything I said to you!" Jessie shrieked, throwing her hands up in the air. "You're nothing but a pompous jerk and I hope I never see you again! Never!"

"You've said that already," Draco pointed out calmly, enjoying seeing her get all uptight all of a sudden. "And yet you're still standing here."

"You think this a joke, don't you?!" Jessie exclaimed, looking absolutely livid. "I don't let people cross me just like that. You wait… just wait… I'll-"

"Make me fall in love with you again?"

"That's the last thing I'll ever do!" she snarled.

"Brilliant," Draco drawled, "We should have had this talk ages ago th-"

SMACK!

Jessie's hand came flying out of nowhere. Draco's head had turned at the force of its impact and he could feel his cheek burn at the place she had hit him. He slowly touched his face, looking at Jessie from the corner of his eye; seething with anger. The filthy little witch had hit him! "Why you good for nothing -"

But Jessie managed to get away from his reach. She watched him grasp at the place she had just been and gasped in relief. She backed away some more and sputtered, "Y-you had it coming… I-I told you not to talk to me like that!" Before Draco could pull out his wand, she turned and ran as fast as she could; leaving him alone once again.

Draco felt like screaming! What had he done to deserve such a night?! He turned around and angrily banged his hand on the cool railing. What the hell was happening today?! _What the bloody hell is everyone's problem!?_

Jessie was absolutely raging with madness. Her face was flushed and her hand still throbbed a little after her little outburst with Draco. Never in her life had she been talked back to in such a manner. He made her feel insignificant, like a little worm struggling in the dirt and hell did that infuriate her! She hated doing that to him, but how dare he! Testing her quick temper like that!

In that moment of pure enragement, all she could think of was Hermione. She strode in the direction that silly witch had ran and cursed her under her breath. She couldn't help but blame her for all that had happened. It was her fault that her wand and her precious Amorodor had been taken away; that her friends had not backed her up the other day. And it felt like it was _her fault_ that Draco had turned against her.

It didn't take her so long to find Hermione. Once she had figured out which direction she had headed towards, she had easily found out where she had gone: her room. After a slight little detour, she managed to find the person she had been looking for. It did come as a surprise however, when she saw her getting up from her sitting position in front of the door.

"Jessie?" Hermione said in astonishment, looking over at her with curiosity. "What are you…?" She quickly noticed her heated expression and duel-like stance, and knew instantly what Jessie was about to do… and she was all for it. She seized her wand from the floor and pointed it at her opposition. "You never seem to get enough," she spat, narrowing her eyes threateningly. "After all you've done… still think I ought to be hexed, do you?"

"More than ever!" Jessie snarled, pointing her own wand at Hermione. "You've turned everyone, even Draco, against me!"

"Got your wand back, I see," Hermione said coolly. "Nicked it from Violet's room, I expect. How did you get in?"

"None of that matters," Jessie sneered, looking murderous now. "I've got it now and I'm ready to use it!"

"So, what's stopping you? Unless you know my skills with a wand-"

"Shut it!"

"And you're secretly afraid-"

"I said shut it!"

"That I'll turn you into an ugly little-"

"That's it!"

"-worm!"

"Enough chitchat!" Jessie yelled. "Stupefy!"

But Hermione was more than ready. "Protego!" she shouted back quickly, standing her ground.

The spell rebounded and missed Jessie's head by mere inches. The witch, momentarily taken aback by Hermione's swiftness, quickly gained her composure and aimed her wand again – she was determined not to get beaten! "Petrificus totalus!"

Hermione easily avoided the jet of light. She cocked her head to one side and smirked. "Remembered the spell I previously used on you now, did you?" she said as she watched Jessie advance on her to get a better shot. She pointed her wand at the floor and said, "I'd rather you stayed as far away from me as possible. Glisseo!"

Jessie slipped on the icy surface and yelped in surprise as she was thrown off balance; her legs flew up from underneath her and she landed with a small thud! on her bottom. "What the-? Argh! You little…! Incarcerous!"

Thick ropes shot out of Jessie's wand and managed to wind themselves tightly around Hermione's arms and waist before she had the chance to move out of the way. She struggled against them briefly and managed to free her wand arm – quickly casting a counter-spell to release herself. "Enough, Jessie! You know who I am… you know what I've been through! You can't duel me – you just won't win... and I'm not going to sink to your level and try and hurt you."

"Obnoxious coward!" she screamed. "Just because you helped Harry Potter, doesn't mean you're all that great!" Jessie righted herself against the wall and screeched, "Aguamenti!"

Great jets of water poured out from Jessie's wand, but once again, Hermione was faster. "Impervious!" she shouted promptly. The water was blasted backwards and Jessie screamed as it rained over her, drenching her hair and soaking through her gorgeous black evening dress. The force of the water made her slip on the icy surface once again and this time she was thrown flat onto the floor.

Hermione couldn't help the feeling of guilt wash over her as she watched Jessie struggle on the floorboards. Was she actually enjoying this? Did revenge make her feel any better? If it did then why was she feeling pitiful for the infuriating witch? Jessie was no good at dueling, so was this really right? "Give over, Jessie," Hermione said warily, "there's no point in continuing this stupidity-"

But Jessie was unrelenting. Her mad temper took control of her so she was unstoppable. "Look at what you've done!" Jessie interrupted, ignoring Hermione's words. "You _idiot!_" Jessie really was a sight to see - water droplets clung to her hair and her black dress was splayed around her on the icy floor, giving her a beautiful and yet dangerous look. Her expression looked as if she was ready to kill something and Hermione instinctively clutched her wand tightly.

"You're the one who asked for it," Hermione pointed out icily. "I'm not the one constantly throwing spells – I'm merely defending myself."

"You rotten bitch!" Jessie continued, looking absolutely enraged. "You and Draco can both go to hell! It's a good thing I already gave him a piece of my mind… at least one of you-"

"What's that supposed to mean?' Hermione asked sharply, glaring at her dangerously.

"It means that I left something for him to remember me by," Jessie sneered. She got up and muttered a spell to clear up the mess. Instantly, the ice vanished and she was dry once more. "He must be feeling pretty bad about himself tonight," Jessie prattled on, relishing the way Hermione's face fell. "You running out on his kiss and then me showing up and… well, let's just say his cheek won't feel right for a while…"

To _hell_ with guilt! Hatred was radiating within Hermione, and she was willing to give her a piece of _her_ mind. After pining over Draco so much… it just wasn't fair for Jessie to do that all of a sudden. She shouldn't have brought him into their fight! "That's it, you crazy witch! It's one thing trying to get back at me, but it's another thing entirely to involve Draco into this!" She whipped her wand in front of her and growled vehemently, "Furnunculus!"

The spell caught Jessie squarely on the face and she cried out in pain. Huge, disgusting pus-like boils were erupting all over her. Her face became bloated almost immediately and soon she was barely recognizable, even from a short distance. Hermione took one look at her and past by her indifferently. "If anyone asks," she said venomously, "you've got an allergic attack." And with that, she walked off and left Jessie to fend for herself – there were more important things to do.

Draco went and plopped himself on a barstool, receiving curious stares as he angrily banged his fist on the counter before him. Merlin was he fed up! One minute he was coming down the steps with a beautiful witch at his side, and the next he was sitting alone with a bunch strangers at the bar!

"What are you looking at?" Draco snapped at a guy who was looking at him funny. "Do I look like something to ogle at?" Draco glared at him and the man, giving him a sheepish look, shrugged away, probably knowing that he wasn't having a good day. "Bloody Muggles…." he muttered under his breath.

"Alright thar old feller?"

Draco looked up and saw a great, pot-bellied old man with a tomato-red face smiling down at him. He wore a white shirt that was rolled up at the sleeves and a black vest that looked strained at the buttons – Draco was certain that if the big man inhaled, the buttons would finally give up and pop out of their places. It was a miracle that the guy had managed to get it around him…

"Looks like yo've got trouble on yer mind," the bartender continued. "Whut'd yo' like t'have?"

Draco rested his elbows on the counter, closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose with a forefinger and a thumb. "One Firewhiskey," he ordered without thinking.

"Yo'll haf one whut?" the bartender asked, looking utterly confused.

"One Firewh-" He blinked and mentally scolded himself. What was he thinking? They didn't have _Firewhiskey_ in the Muggle world! He peered over at the befuddled barman and considered asking him what kind of drinks he had to offer, but decided against it – he didn't want to look like a complete idiot… "What do _you_ think I should have?" Draco finally asked, reading the man's expression cautiously. "For a person with trouble on his mind."

"Ahh…" The man wagged a thick finger at him and winked. "I've got jest th' thin'." And he bustled away to mix Draco's drink, leaving him alone with his thoughts. But before he could even begin to dwell on them, someone slightly tapped him on the shoulder.

"Draco?"

Draco's head whipped around in surprise and saw Hermione standing in front of him, looking slightly disheveled and anxious – he could tell she was a little tense because she was nibbling on her lower lip and fiddling with her fingers. She nervously tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and stared at him pleadingly, looking for words to say, but it seemed she was incapable of uttering anything – in fact, Draco thought she was ready to break out in tears.

"What are you doing here?" He couldn't help the angry tone as he spoke. He was, after all, pretty much irritated at how things had turned out – not to mention that she had been the one who had left him just like that.

"Draco, I – I'm so, _so_ sorry…" Hermione explained urgently. "You need to understand I didn't mean to… I never wanted it to-"

"Go that far?" He was surprised at how bitter he sounded.

"No! It's not that!" Distressed, Hermione sat on the stool next to his and looked straight into his eyes. "I didn't want to r-run away like that," she whispered, "I just had to… get my thoughts straight. I was full of contradicting feelings-"

"You were analyzing what – what we'd done, weren't you?" He was about to say 'analyzing the kiss', but changed his mind last minute. "Already regretting it, aren't you?" Draco tore away from her gaze and said off-handedly, "Well, I don't care, really… I'm not going to sit up and cry all night thinking about it. What I did… it didn't mean anything."

The big, round man came shuffling forward and placed his drink before him. Seeing that something important was going on, he nodded his head at Hermione in greeting and walked away once more. Draco stoically stared at the drink before him and tried to ignore her presence. It was so hard to lie to her now…

Hermione wouldn't give up that easily. Even though it had hurt to hear him say it, she knew it wasn't true - she refused to believe what he had said. Bravely, she laid her hand over his and squeezed it slightly, hoping with all her might he wouldn't pull away. "Draco, I don't regret anything… You have to know what I was feeling. I was overwhelmed, I-" Her heart sank as his hand slid away from under hers. He pretended not to hear her and she watched tearfully as he seized his drink and gulped it down. What was she to do?! She needed to – _wanted_ to tell him what she felt, but how?

Draco suddenly felt his drink being pulled away from him. Hermione took hold of the glass and set it on the counter, tugging his hands and trying to make him stand up. "What do you think you're doing?!" Draco asked incredulously. "What do you want?!"

"Come with me," she said simply.

As he was being pulled away from the bar, the round-belled man came over and said in a booming voice, "Yer a-gonna hafta pay fo' thet!"

"Right, right… Give me a moment." Somehow, Draco managed to get his money out of his wallet and pay for his drink while Hermione tried to drag him away. He handed the money over to the guy and told him to 'keep the change' as he finally gave in, and watched where Hermione was taking him.

"Do you mind telling me what the bloody hell you want?"

Hermione was tightly holding onto his hand and she didn't bother to answer him as she continued to lead the way. He was vaguely curious as to what she was up to, but he got his answer soon enough once she slowed down; realizing that the both of them were standing on the dance floor. Suddenly, she spun around and faced him, smiling slightly – mischief glinting in her beautiful brown eyes. He arched one his eyebrows.

"Dance with me."

Draco was completely taken aback. "W-what?!" He looked at her in bewilderment.

Slowly, Hermione closed the distance between them and looked up at him with shy eyes. "Dance with me." She boldly curled her arms around his neck and tried her very best to lock her eyes with his, which was superbly hard for her to do since he was so up-close now. She desperately prayed that he wouldn't feel, how much she was trembling. She had never been so bold in her life and it terrified her. What if he pushed away from her? What if he rejected her? She had to get him to listen and this was the only way she could come up with.

But Draco had noticed how she trembled… how petrified she was behind those eyes. As he encircled his arms around her waist halfheartedly, pulling her closer, he could almost feel her heart pound against her chest. It was so hard to stay mad at her for long – he didn't have the heart to tell her off. He just hoped she wouldn't suddenly have another mood swing and leave him again. Ignoring that thought, he leaned forward and sighed, "How hard was it for you to do that?" He felt her arms tighten around his neck.

"Very hard…" She chuckled lightly and rested her cheek against his neck. Draco felt an odd thrill run up his spine.

"Are you going to explain what this is all about?" Draco slowly moved to the music, though not really hearing it. "Because I'm through with evasiveness today." He could almost feel her smile.

Hermione pulled her head back and rested her hands on Draco's chest, trying to think of a way to explain her earlier actions, when a faint mark on his left cheek caught her attention. All of a sudden, waves of hatred washed over her as she realized what it was.

Draco must have seen her change in expression, because he looked a little puzzled. "Is something wrong…?" But he trailed off when he saw her right hand rise and felt her fingertips lightly brush against his cheek. Draco felt something in his stomach tighten.

"How hard did she hit you?" Hermione whispered in revulsion, gently soothing the fading mark. "She had no right to lay a hand on you…" She felt him stiffen beneath her fingers and she looked up to see anger raging behind those blissful grey eyes.

"Did Jessie go shouting it around or something?" Draco growled, looking absolutely furious.

"No," she assured him. "But it's a long story – I'll tell you later."

Draco was unsatisfied, but let it slide for the moment. Hermione's feathery light touches on his cheek were a wonderful distraction. "You still owe me an explanation," he reminded her.

"I do," she agreed. She bit her lower lip and once more wrapped her arms around his neck. "Would you believe me if I said I was…that I was scared?" She glanced at him and tried to read his expression, but his face betrayed nothing. "It was so sudden – I felt overwhelmed. I've never felt anything like it before. You were kissing me so intensely…" Hermione flushed as she said it and quickly darted her eyes to floor.

Draco smirked. He really did like it when she blushed. "And is that a bad thing?" he asked, his tone light. "Need I remind you that you were kissing me back with as much passion?" He felt his lips tug into a smile when he saw her turn a deeper shade of pink.

"That is besides the point," she said indignantly, now looking back at him with defiance. "Now, do you want me to continue or not?"

Draco chuckled slightly and nodded his head for her to continue. "You were saying…?"

Hermione let out a deep breath and launched into describing what she had felt. She tried her hardest to explain what she had mulled over at the foot of her door and the complex feelings that had overcome her. She was unsure whether he understood anything she had said so far and his unreadable expression did nothing to help her figure out what he was thinking. She badly wanted him to say something, but he did nothing but hold her in his arms with a distant far-away look in his eyes.

"What are you thinking?" she asked finally, unconsciously playing with the hairs on the back of his neck.

He sighed, "I understand, you know… what you mean…"

She looked up at him dubiously. "Do you?"

"I do." The music was eerily slow and the both of them revolved around one spot, concentrating mostly on each other's thoughts. "I guess I was scared too-"

"Malfoy – scared?" Hermione teased him, but a little stunned as well.

He scowled. "Do you _mind?_ I'm trying to explain myself here. And besides, I wasn't scared in that way."

Hermione smiled slightly. "How hard was it for you to say that?" she murmured, echoing his previous words.

His expression softened. "Not as hard as I thought." He gave her a small smirk and breathed, "It's coming out more easily now – expressing my feelings…"

"So… is everything all right between us now?"

"Hmm..." Draco tilted his head to one side stared at her; analyzing her. "I still don't quite understand why you ran away like that. Did you see me sprinting away in the other direction?"

Hermione laughed while trying to picture him doing something like that. "Everyone reacts differently…"

"I thought I had done something seriously wrong."

"Are you doubting your kissing expertise?" She smiled playfully.

"Never. You don't doubt it yourself. You were responding _very_ enthusiastically." He smiled at her audaciously as her cheeks turned rosy-red.

Hesitantly, Draco lifted his hand and smoothly traced the outline of her jaw with one of his fingers. He let it swiftly glide down her neck and linger at the base of her throat before gazing back at her questioningly. He noticed she wasn't breathing. "Are you planning a way to escape?'

Hermione frantically tried to gather her thoughts, reminding herself to take in a deep breath. "No," she managed to choke out. He smirked.

Slowly, he leaned forward and brushed his lips at the edge of her jaw, his fingers gently dancing along her collarbone. "Are you afraid?" he breathed, his mouth dangerously close to her own.

She tried to make sense of what he was saying, but she was too caught up on what he was doing. "A little," she said honestly.

Draco smiled at the edge of her lips and pulled his head away to look at her. Her cheeks had turned a wonderful shade of red and her eyes twinkled lightheartedly. "We're making progress," he chuckled.

"We are, aren't we?" Hermione replied, smiling shyly. "We've come a long way in such short period." Gradually, she stopped moving and Draco looked at her questioningly. "Let's do something," she said suddenly.

"Like what?" he asked, half-surprised and half-amused.  
"I don't know… anything! I'm tired of dancing."

"Is that what we're doing?" he laughed. "I thought we were turning around in one spot…_very_ slowly…"

Hermione rolled her eyes and Draco suppressed a smirk. "I'm serious, Draco. It's our last night here! We should do something! Like… like go for a movie! We can go to that on board movie theatre!"

"How utterly boring," Draco grumbled. "I'd rather watch television."

Hermione burst out laughing. "It's good to know you remembered what it's called." She beamed at him. "Then what else do you want to do?"

He shrugged his shoulder indifferently. "I don't mind anything else."

Hermione pondered over the things they could do. She tried to remember the facilities that were on the ship, but couldn't think of anything very interesting. She ruled out swimming and rock-climbing – she wasn't up for either of them. The idea of going to a casino didn't really thrill her as well, and shopping… well, Draco would get bored out of his mind.  
After a few minutes of contemplation, she finally came up with something exciting; something she was sure Draco had never done in his life. "I've an idea," she declared finally, looking at him impishly.

"Well, do you plan on telling me sometime this year?" he said sarcastically.

Her eyes danced with mirth; her smile widening happily. "Draco," she asked innocently, "have you ever been ice-skating?"

**A/N:  
Hey, guys! Well, I certainly hope you enjoyed this chapter! Jessie finally get's what she deserves and Hermione steps it up a little! Oh, and I didn't leave you guys with a cliffhanger! beams It would be great if you left a review on the way out - tell me whether you liked/disliked it or have any suggestions! ****Thanks to my BETA, simplyme!**


	25. Ice Capades

Jessie howled in pain as she ran her fingers across the puss-filled blisters that covered her face. They were big, her face felt bloated and she felt absolutely, positively disgusting. Her wand was useless as she didn't know what spell to use to get rid of the horrible boils, and what's more, her face started to itch slightly.

Her anger was at boiling point. She snarled in frustration and looked around her wildly, not really knowing what to do. She couldn't go back to the ball looking like this and she had no idea where Hermione had run off to. She wasn't sure whether she'd want to come face to face with her now anyway. She knew it would be useless – the girl was too skillful with her wand.

Taking in deep breaths, Jessie tried to calm herself and focus her mind. The only thing that she could do was go back to her room and wait until Violet or one of her other friends came along to help remove the boils, but that could take ages and she didn't have all night! She desperately wanted one last shot at Hermione and she didn't have much time left. Tomorrow they would all be leaving and she would happily go off with her precious Draco Malfoy and…and…

Jessie stood very still for a moment. _Malfoy_. Her eyes slowly grew big with horror and her mouth formed a small 'o' as sudden realization came crashing down on her. She now understood why she had felt that strange feeling of familiarity back on the balcony! She had heard of him before. Of course! Him and his father, and their association with You-Know-Who! She'd seen him in the papers, read his name several times… Could it really be?! Was Draco Malfoy really a… a _Death Eater_?!

***

"It's closed!" Hermione said in despair, peering through the thick glass and into the ice-rink, which was dark and definitely shut for the night.

"Really?" Draco's heart soared. "How terribly sad. No ice-rink, no ice-skating… Oh, well…" He made a move to go away, but Hermione caught his sleeve before he could.

"Maybe we could ask someone of they'd be willing to open it for us – you know, just this one night since it's our last day on board," she muttered to herself, "or we could just sneak in, grab a couple of skates -"

"Yeah, so we can twirl around all by ourselves, in the dark, and hope that no one will look through the very see-through glass," Draco replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Hermione shot him a glare. "Look," he went on, "I don't even want to ice-skate. Do I look like the type of person who would!?" he asked, gesturing to himself. "Seriously…I'd rather do something else."

Hermione sighed. "Like what? Go back to the ball?"

Draco snorted, "What happened to your spontaneity?"

"Spontaneity?! There's not much you can do on a ship, Draco," Hermione retorted. "You don't want go to the theatre, swimming is out of the question, there's rock-climbing -"

"There is no way in hell that I'd do that -"

"Exactly, so like I said…there aren't many options. Besides, it's pretty late at night – everything, like the ice-rink, must be closed."

"Hmm…"

Silence passed between them as they pondered over what they could possibly do at this time of the night. In the meantime, a janitor, at the far end of the hallway, was sweeping the floor with his broom while whistling a tune - completely unaware of the two people present. He monotonously swept his broom from side to side and Draco, who was trying to think up of something, couldn't help but follow its motion with his eyes. Subconsciously, he was lulled into thinking about his own broom, which was aimlessly lying in his cabin. He couldn't bear to part with it, so he had brought it along. He hadn't had the chance to fly these past two weeks and he missed the feeling of the adrenaline rush that would course through him as he rocketed through the air. The wind blowing against his face, the loops, the turns, the intense speed…

As these thoughts circulated in his head, Draco slowly started to have a strong urge to fly. The thought of riding his broom through the salty air and under the dark night's sky seemed enticing. As he continued to think about it, his desires mixed with his current thought process of coming up with an activity, produced an idea, which was both ridiculous and madly tempting. Should he really? The idea was pretty outrageous...

Hermione noted the change in Draco's expression and poked his shoulder twice to get his attention. "Thought of something?"

Draco's lips curled into a smirk. He pushed his hands into his trouser pockets and looked over at Hermione with his head slightly tilted to the side. "Are you up for something interesting? Something absolutely crazy…" He raised one of his eyebrows in a challenging way, his eyes glinting mischievously.

At that precise moment, he was the picture of arrogance in Hermione's opinion. His posture, his expression, his attitude… she couldn't help but shake her head and roll her eyes over at him.

"Well, are you?" he pressed on.

"Well…" she said, furrowing her eyebrows, "it depends, doesn't it? How 'crazy' is it? I mean… will we get in trouble for it?"

"Not if we don't get caught or anything," he replied smoothly, shrugging his shoulders.

Hermione narrowed her eyes suspiciously. By the look on his face, he probably thought he had came up with the ultimate plan. She sighed at his egotistic overconfidence. That was Draco Malfoy for you. "Are you going to tell me of your 'ingenious' plan, oh Wise One?"

Draco chuckled at Hermione's choice of words. "You've got to promise that you'll at least think about it before exploding at me."

"That's for me to decide. And besides, by the way you're acting I don't think I'll like this idea very much. You've got 'mischief" written all across your face." Hermione huffed and folded her arms. "Well?! Let's not let time 'tick' any longer, remember?"

Draco drew in a breath, pausing for effect much to Hermione's annoyance, before spilling out his thoughts… "Let's go flying."

Silence fell once again as Hermione tried to understand what he had just said. Flying? Was there more to his sentence? She waited for him to go on, but he merely looked at her as if waiting for some kind of reaction.  
"I'm sorry. What?" she asked him, feeling rather confused.

Draco sighed. Here he was thinking that she'd have an outburst… "Flying, woman!" he said a bit louder, "On a broom! Make any sense to you yet?"

"Fly on a broom? Fly…" As Hermione said it, she quickly realized what he was trying to say and looked at him as if he had completely lost his mind. "HAVE YOU GONE MAD?! YOU WANT TO GO FLY -"

Draco's hand slammed over Hermione's mouth in order to stop her from yelling. At the corner of his eye, he saw the janitor look up from his job. "What did I tell you?!" he whispered furiously into her ear. "Think before you act, Granger!"

Hermione's eyes became slits and she angrily pulled Draco's hand away from her mouth. "It's back to Granger again, is it, Malfoy?"

"Will you pipe down?" he replied, pointing a thumb over at the janitor, who was eyeing the pair of them curiously. "We've got company if you haven't noticed."

Hermione didn't even bother to look. She inhaled deeply and it seemed to Draco as if she had suddenly grown taller. "First of all," she said venomously, "don't you _ever_ manhandle me like that again!"

"I didn't mean it that wa-"

"Second of all," she went on, "don't you _dare_ tell me what to do! I don't care if the whole world is listening to what I have to say to you!" At this, the janitor bowed his head and slouched off to a far corner, trying to pretend he hadn't heard anything. Another lovers quarrel. He had seen plenty of those.

"And what?" Hermione laughed. "Flying? Have you gone out of your mind?!"

Draco's temper flared. If it wasn't for him realizing his slight mistakes, he wouldn't have been able to keep his anger in control. "Alright fine! I know I shouldn't have shut you up like that, but there's no need to go all barmy. Didn't I ask you to promise not to explode?"

"I didn't make any promises," Hermione answered back coolly.

"You didn't even think over what I said," Draco shot back.

"What's there to think over?! Do you know how much trouble we could get into if we go along with your proposal? We could be _seen!_"

"In the dark and in the middle of the ocean?! The only things that we could be seen by are the little fish swimming around."

Hermione couldn't believe her ears. "Draco, there are a million things that could go wrong!"

"Stop being such a worry wart and just trust me for once, will you? Nothing will go wrong. I've got it all planned out -"

"You just thought of this idea! You can't possibly have planned everything out!" Hermione said shrilly.

"Why won't you trust me?! I said I'll take care of everything..." Draco restlessly ran his fingers through his hair. "Didn't you say you wanted to do something exciting on your last day?"

"Yes, but this - this is just outrageous…! Can't you think of something else?"

"Oh, come on, Hermione. You said it yourself: there's not much you can do at this hour. Besides, it'll feel brilliant flying over the ocean."

"That's not a very comforting thought…" Hermione shuddered. She could imagine all the things that could go wrong and most importantly she could not control a broom! What if she fell off and the ocean current pulled her under water? No…this was not happening. "Anyway, I hate flying!" she added, getting annoyed. "If you really want to carry on with this insane idea then you go zooming around aimlessly alone."

Something about her tone made Draco become suspicious. He lightly took a step towards her and bent his head in order to take a good look at her face. After a quick study of her expression, realization hit him and he stared at her in disbelief. "You're afraid of flying, aren't you?!"

Hermione blinked her eyes in surprise. "N-no, I am not!"

"You can't be serious," Draco chuckled in response. "Scared of flying? Really?"

Hermione put her hands on her hips and held her head high. "So? So what if I don't like flying? There's nothing wrong with that! Everyone has their own phobias! And besides that's not my excuse for not carrying out your ridiculous plan – getting caught and falling into trouble is my problem and there's nothing that will chance my decision."  
Draco's lips formed a small smile. "Oh, I wouldn't be sure of that…"

***

"I've gone mad…I must be crazy to actually go along with this," Hermione said somewhat hysterically. After a short trip to her room in order to change into something more comfortable, she restlessly paced up and down the length of Draco's room, shaking her head and cursing herself under her breath. She positively hated herself for finally caving into his suggestion, but he had absolutely refused to back down. He went on about the 'thrill' and the 'adrenaline rush' and how he would make sure nothing bad would happen. He had also said that he'd make sure no harm would come to her and that he wanted make their last day memorable – that was probably when she had slowly fallen into his stupid trap.

She usually didn't give in to any sort of sweet talk, but she realized Draco had his own way of charming the girls into doing what he wanted. His smoldering grey eyes alone were enough to hypnotize anyone and his voice was annoyingly velvety at times in order to manipulate people. She simply rebuffed the idea that she herself had been victim of his skillful techniques. She didn't like considering the possibility that Draco had now some control over her. In her own little ways, she would make sure that she still had reign over herself.

"Are you ready?"

Hermione stopped in her tracks and looked over at Draco, who was standing outside on the balcony. Giving her a slight nod, he swiftly mounted his broom and waited for her to come over, a smirk-like smile resting on his lips. When he saw that she wouldn't move, he silently raised his hand and gestured for her to come; his eyes telling her that there was no going back. This was it. She had agreed to this and she was not going to back away now.

"Draco -" Hermione began to say uncertainly, but he immediately cut her off.

"Just trust me," he said smoothly.

Hesitantly, she went out to the balcony, giving Draco a tentative look. She looked down at the broom and gulped in fear. It looked so flimsy, so breakable and unsafe. Well, at least she wouldn't have to handle the broom herself. "Are you sure it'll be able to hold two people?" she asked dubiously. "I'm not that light, just so you know..."

"I'm sure, I'm sure…" Draco replied, getting slightly annoyed now. "Now, can we go, please?"

Hermione glowered at him. "You don't have to be so impatient! Let me just…just try to calm myself down for a minute."

"You're going to start over-thinking," Draco said, his body tensing with excitement. His legs were dying to kick off from the ground and Hermione was taking forever! "Stop thinking and just get on behind me otherwise we'll be spending the rest of the night this way."

He was right, she knew he was right, but her body was frozen. _Come on, Hermione, you're braver than this. Just get on the broom. Don't think. Just get on the broom._ Taking in a deep breath, she pushed aside all thoughts and swung her leg over the broom. When she got what she thought was a comfortable position she suddenly realized that she was in another awkward predicament. What was she supposed to do with her hands?! Was she supposed to hold onto the broom or was she supposed to hold on to –

Draco suddenly turned around, making Hermione jump in fright. "Ready?" he asked her, giving her a cheeky grin.

"N-n-no…" Hermione muttered incoherently, all senses leaving her.

Draco chuckled, "Fair enough. Hold on tight, alright?" He looked down at her fingers holding onto his broom and was surprised to see that her knuckles had already turned white. "Calm down, Hermione. I won't go that fast, I promise and – oh! I almost forgot!" Quickly, he whipped out his wand from his back pocket and pointed it at Hermione. "Disillusionment Charm," he answered her surprised expression.

"Oh!" she exclaimed.

"That way, we won't be seen," he went on. "There -" He rapped Hermione's head, watched as her body gradually blended to her surroundings, then quickly cast the spell on himself.

Hermione felt as if Draco had poured some cold liquid on the top of her head. It was a strange sensation, especially as she felt cool trickles run down the length of her body. She immediately looked down and saw that she had taken on the same color and texture of all that was around her. "Whoa! Nice one, Draco," she said, impressed with his wand work.

"Now, that's enough dawdling," he added, turning around and gripping the handle. "Don't let go of the broom." And before Hermione could say anything, Draco kicked off from the floor, pure ecstasy seeping through his body as he climbed higher and higher, the night's air billowing against his face.

Hermione let out a spine-tingling scream from behind Draco as they left the safety of the solid floor of the balcony and ascended towards the inky black sky at break-neck speed. She crossed her ankles, pressed her knees together and glued her eyes shut. She felt as if her heart had dropped to the bottom of her stomach and the wind blowing past her face didn't make things any better for her. She desperately wanted to tell Draco to slow down, but the only thing that came out of her mouth was an uneasy cry.

Not daring to open her eyes, Hermione yelled angrily at the wizard sitting in front of her. "What's your problem, Draco?! You said you'd go slowly! I-I don't like it…!" Her voice shook nervously and her body trembled at the idea of being so high up. "Can we please, please go back down…please…?"

Draco mentally kicked himself - he should have been more wary. The girl was terrified out of her mind, but out of his own excitement he had momentarily forgotten about her fear of flying. "Sorry! Sorry!" he said apologetically, looking over his shoulder at Hermione. "Look, I'm going to go down now, okay? I'll try my best not to go too fast."

Unfortunately for Hermione, going down was worse than going up. She felt as if she were free-falling through the air and out of instinct, she let go of the broom and flung her arms around Draco's midriff, much to his surprise.

The minute he felt her arms go around him, Draco's body impulsively responded by sitting up bolt straight. His eyes grew wide as he realized their current position and his heartbeat, of its own accord, started to beat faster. It seemed he was not the only one who became conscious of her arms around him, because he soon heard Hermione let out a gasp of embarrassment.

Hermione's eyes shot open at that very moment and looked down at her arms wrapped around Draco. Instantly, she loosened her grip around him and fisted her fingers on to the back of his shirt. Although she knew that the both of them were feeling slightly awkward at the moment (she could tell by his silence and upright position), she couldn't pull herself to let go of him. In a way, it felt a little more secure than holding onto the broom. She really had not meant to throw her arms around him, however! It wasn't her fault that he had swooped down like that!

Draco cleared his throat and let out a strained cough. "Are you alright back there?" he asked, trying ignore her grasp on him. He was fully aware of her vice-like grip on his shirt and he was both flustered and pleased by the fact that she found comfort by holding onto him. At least she wasn't yelling at the top of her lungs anymore.

"N-no, but just keep going slowly…Don't do anymore of those swooping moves!"

It was peacefully silent after a couple of minutes and Hermione soon found the courage to keep her eyes open. Draco had reduced the velocity of the broom and went down to a lower height, so that she was able to look around her without much fear. Gradually, she found that she was actually starting to enjoy herself – slightly, at least. Her body was not one bit relaxed, but it was progress. She even dared herself to look down, when she realized they were not so high up from the vast body of water.

"I – I guess it's not all that bad," Hermione whispered, looking up at the starry, night sky. It was actually rather beautiful. As they glided across the surface of the ocean with the pale moon shining down on them, Hermione realized just how magical the atmosphere was. She had to hand it to Draco. He really knew how to set the mood for their last night.

"I told you so," Draco replied smugly, looking over his shoulder; satisfied to see her mesmerized expression. "But I've got one more thing I want to do."

"And what's that?" Hermione inquired cautiously. She tried to get a good look of his face, but he turned his head away and instead of immediately answering her question, Draco pulled the broom to a complete halt. "Draco," she asked curiously, wondering what he was up to now, "what are you doing?"

"You wanted to go ice-skating," he answered simply, taking out his wand and pointing it towards the water, "and since you went along with my plan, I thought it was only fair to do what you wanted to do, too." He saw Hermione's eyes grow wide with understanding and before she could open her mouth to protest, Draco, smirking, quickly cried out the spell. "Glacio!"

A cool, white, mist-like substance gushed out from the tip of Draco's wand and spread across a small patch of the surface of the ocean. The both of them watched as the water quickly turned icy blue, and as the mist-like matter dissolved into the air, a small part of the water had become a solid, white surface. It was a magnificent sight to behold. The smooth, white patch of ice was in stark contrast to the darkness all around them and there was an unearthly, luminescent glow encircling the miniature ice-rink Draco had formed. Under the moon the ice seemed to twinkle and the dark-blue water lapping against the edges of the crystal-like formation made a soothing sound – it was the most stunning sight Hermione had ever laid her eyes on and she was at a complete loss for words.

"So, what do you think?" Draco maneuvered his broom so that their feet were nearly touching the icy surface. "Am I genius or am I genius?" He turned around, took out his wand and undid the Disillusionment charm so that they could see each other's expression.

"It's…beautiful," Hermione breathed, unable to express herself. "But we could get into a hell lot of trouble if something were to go wrong!" she blurted out in distress. "What if we're seen! Flying is one thing, but freezing a piece of the ocean…? The statute of magical secrecy-"

"There is absolutely no one around!" Draco interrupted, gesturing towards the dark, blank mass of water. "And besides, when will you ever get the chance to do this again?" He jumped off the broom and held on to it till Hermione got off. Fortunately, there were no noticeable waves that night, so the patch of ice was quite stable and smooth, instead of wavy and wobbly from troubled waters. "Half an hour…that's all I'm saying. Half an hour of this and we can be on our way back." He quietly put the broom down and looked at her seriously. "This is probably the last thing I can do for you until we leave. We've got our own lives to sort out when we go back to the wizarding world," he sighed. "You'll go back to Potter and Weasley, look for a job and start a new life, while I…I still have to clean up some of the mess that I left behind."

Hermione gave him a questioning look. "What sort of mess?"

Draco shrugged his shoulders. "The Dark Lord may be dead, but there are still Death Eaters who have survived the war. Even though they've gone into hiding, I'm sure they'll try to hunt me down eventually, with all that about me betraying them and their master…" He gazed down at the witch in front of him and said, "I've also got my father to deal with."

Hermione's eyes softened and she gently took a step towards him. Her arms wrapped around Draco, who went rigid in surprise, and rested her head against his chest. "I'm sure you'll be able to handle everything once you get back," she assured him, patting his back soothingly. She looked up at him and gave him a small smile, "The Order and I will be rounding up the remaining Death Eaters soon enough, so that's one thing you can check off your worry list."

Draco let out a bark of laughter. "Oh, is that so?"

In response, Hermione swiftly went on her tip-toes and gave him a brief peck on the lips. "Don't worry," she said humorously, laying her hands on his chest, "I'll protect you." And with a mischievous wink, Hermione pushed Draco, who, with a cry of surprise, lost his balance on the slippery surface and fell flat on his backside.

"What the -?" Draco looked up from his humiliating position and saw that Hermione was already a good few feet away from him. He saw her stick out her tongue at him and wiggle her fingers over her head, laughing out loud as he tried to get up, but instead fell back in the same way. "This isn't funny!" Draco growled, watching as Hermione took out her wand and pointed it at her shoes. "Get over here and help me up." He groaned as he tried to get on his knees in order regain his balance.

What was with her sudden change of attitude? Draco couldn't remember if she had ever been this playful around him before. He thought he remembered seeing her like this during his time at Hogwarts, when she was around her two side-kicks, but otherwise he hadn't seen this side of her personality. Did this mean that she had completely let her guard down around him? That she now saw him as not just a – what was it that he was to her? A boyfriend? Draco didn't think so, not just yet anyway, but perhaps she now saw him as a friend, someone she could count on… Draco made an odd face. He was getting all sappy again.

"How's everything down there?" Hermione called out, seeming to glide over the frosty surface. She skated towards him and then circled around him teasingly, laughing as she saw his pissed-off expression. "Oh, look who can't even stand up," she mocked, feeling rather smug. "Come on, Draco; try if you can get me." She went near him and gave him a quick poke on the shoulder before he could reach out and grab her for support. "You should take a look at yourself," she chuckled, expertly maneuvering herself around him. "You still can't get up? Honestly Draco, you should get your head checked."

"This has got nothing to do with my head," Draco snapped, putting one foot firmly on the icy ground. "What spell did you use on your shoes? At least I'll be able to stand up if I have blades attached to mine like yours."

"I guess I could help you with that," Hermione agreed cheerfully, pointing her wand towards his shoes, "but I doubt it'll help you that much." She muttered out the spell and soon enough Draco had matching blades connected to his shoes. "Can you skate?"

Using all his efforts, Draco managed to get on his own two feet, flailing his arms around to keep himself upright. "Yeah, because I had all the time in the world to learn how to do this stupid sport," he said sarcastically, his legs wobbling dangerously. "Do I look like I'm the gliding around sort of person?"

Hermione gracefully skated towards the pitiful figure and held out her hand. "Alright, alright," she sniggered, "I'll give you a boost. Come on, hold on."

Draco shakily reached out for her hand and held onto it with both of his. As she started to move, he couldn't seem to get his legs to stir, so in the end it was her pulling him along behind her and him clinging on to her hand as if his life depended on it. Hermione was having a fit just looking at his comical stance. "You've got to move your legs, Draco! Copy me. First your right foot, then your left one…" When she saw that it just caused him to slip all over the place, she laughed and went on to tease him even more. "Are you sure you have a brain? Merlin Draco, it's just like roller-skating -"

"You expect me to know what that is?!" Draco demanded scornfully.

"You just need to find your balance," she continued, grinning as she pulled him after her. "Should I let go so that you can learn how to steady yourself?"

"NO!" Draco exclaimed fearfully, tightening his grip on her. "Don't you dare!" He disliked how much power Hermione had over him at the moment, but he sort of enjoyed her current happiness; he could see she was thoroughly enjoying herself. "I swear Hermione, you're going to pay for this," he said impishly. "No one toys around with a Malfoy and gets away with it."

"What are you going to do? Increase your vice-like grip on me even more?" she teased. But Hermione did eventually pay for her lighthearted antics when they decided to get back to the ship. Draco was merciless with the speed of his broom and Hermione could do nothing but to fiercely hold onto him and scream, not caring whether someone would hear her or not. It was his turn to be on top of things and he grabbed the chance to be in control once again.

Overall, the experience had been out of this world. Draco secretly did enjoy the moments he had shared on the 'ice-rink' with Hermione and was sure she hadn't truly hated the flying part of the trip (much to his mistake). Skating underneath the stars, surrounded by the cosmic ocean and with no one else around to bother him or Hermione had been a unique, whim-of-the-moment plan, which the both of them would never forget. Even though they hadn't spent their last night on the cruise ship itself, they had spent a little more time together privately which, although they didn't express it out loud, was exactly what they had wanted. However, their good mood was short-lived. With Draco's past still hidden in the shadows and Jessie on the prowl for revenge, their night was nowhere near finished.

**Chapter End Notes:**

**A/N: Hello there everyone! *waves* It's been nearly a year now! I am tremendously sorry for the long wait, but I hope you enjoyed the chapter nonetheless! It was supposed to be longer (I wanted to make up for all the lost time), but it wasn't flowing so I had to cut down some of it. I don't know when I'll post the next chapter, but I hope you all know that no matter how long I'm gone, I will never abandon this fic *nods solemnly*. Please review on the way out! I enjoy reading the comments you leave behind =D**

Thanks a ton to my BETA, simplyme, who pointed out all the things I missed out and who also gave me the idea of having Draco freeze a part of the ocean!


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